Lexicon
dianoia: the mind, disposition, thought
Original Word: διάνοια, ας, ἡPart of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: dianoia
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-an'-oy-ah)
Short Definition: understanding, intellect, mind
Definition: understanding, intellect, mind, insight.
HELPS word-Studies
1271 diánoia (from 1223 /diá, "thoroughly, from side-to-side," which intensifies 3539 /noiéō, "to use the mind," from 3563 /noús, "mind") – properly, movement from one side (of an issue) to the other to reach balanced-conclusions; full-orbed reasoning (= critical thinking), i.e. dialectical thinking that literally reaches "across to the other side" (of a matter).
1271 /diánoia ("critical thinking"), literally "thorough reasoning," incorporates both sides of a matter to reach a meaningful (personal) conclusion. Such "full-breadth reasoning" is essential to loving (25 /agapáō) the Lord and our neighbor (see Mk 12:30). It is also the instrument of self-destruction when exercised without God's light and power (Lk 1:51; Eph 2:3, 4:18; Col 1:21).
[1271 /diánoia (dianoia) is also used of "reasoning and speech between characters in ancient dramas" (LS; cf. Aristotle, Rh 1, 404). But 1271 (diánoia) works to a person's own undoing when it operates apart from the light of God's word (Eph 4:18).]
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
dia and
noeóDefinitionthe mind, disposition, thought
NASB Translationmind (7), minds (2), thoughts (1), understanding (2).
