Mu (Μ/μ) – New Testament Greek words that start with mu
Quick reference
- Greek Name:
- μῦ
- English Name:
- mu
- Pronunciation:
- mü’
- Upper-case Letter:
- Μ
- Lower-case Letter:
- μ
- Speech Sound:
- consonant
- Numerical Value:
- 40
Pronunciation guide
In Koine Greek, the letter Mu was a bilabial nasal, made by closing the lips and allowing the voice to resonate in the nasal cavity. It was pronounced similar to the “m” in “mother.”
Numerical significance
Mu corresponds to the number forty (40) in the Greek numerical system (isopsephy). In Judeo-Christian contexts, forty often symbolizes a period of trial or testing. It can also be seen as a significant milestone number, representing a substantial quantity or duration.
Cultural and symbolic meaning
The letter Mu originated from the Phoenician letter Mem, which likely represented water, as depicted by wavy lines. Symbolically, water carries both the idea of adaptive fluidity and being essential to life.