# definition of "pornos"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-pornos/226757>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 30, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-pornos/226757 "2004-01-30T15:07:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-pornos/226757/1 "2004-01-30T15:07:38Z")

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i have been trying to figure out what the original writers of the bible meant by what is now translated as “the sexually immoral” or “fornicators”. it’s my understanding that the greek word is _pornos_, which i imagine is the root word for modern english’s “pornography” etc. just curious as to whether modern translations take liberties with the meaning of the original word, so as to project particular (perhaps modern in origin) morals to the readers.

i am wondering what a literal translation of _pornos_ would be. any linguists or bible scholars out there that could elaborate?

thanks.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-pornos/226757/2 "2004-01-30T15:10:17Z")

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[The New Testament Greek Lexicon: _pornos_](http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=4205)

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**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-pornos/226757/3 "2004-01-30T15:21:33Z")

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Rather an interesting commentary on the ancient Greeks’ view towards female sexuality.

My Greek dictionary includes a whole host of words that stem from the root _porne_, and the general gist is that when applied to a woman, it refers to prostitution. When applied to a man, however, it just means “fornicator.”

The word _pornography_ is usually translated to mean “writings of prostitutes.”

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-pornos/226757/4 "2004-01-30T20:06:16Z")

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According to Liddell & Scott, [pornos](http://perseus.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2385800) (you’ll have to do some setup to see the Greek characters) in most classical contexts means [catamite](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=catamite), “a boy kept by a pederast”. It can also mean “sodomite” or “idolater”.