Lexical Definition

‎βασιλεύς‎ basileús (bas-il-yooce') king ^G:N-M
probably from ‎βάσις‎ (through the notion of a foundation of power)

king.

• a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively)

Abbott-Smith

βασιλεύς, -έως, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for מֶלֶךְ;]
a king: Mt 1:6 2:1; used by courtesy of Herod the Tetrarch, Mt 14:9; of the Roman Emperor, as freq. in κοινή (Deiss., LAE, p. 367), I Pe 2:13, 17; of the Christ, in the phrase ὁ β. τ. Ἰουδαίων, Mt 2:2, al.; τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, Mk 15:32, Jo 1:50 12:13; of God, Mt 5:35, I Ti 1:17, Re 15:3; β. βασιλέων, Re 17:14 19:16; β. τ. βασιλευόντων, I Ti 6:15 (on the associations of the word to Jewish Hellenists, v. Cl. Rev., i, 7).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

βασιλεύς-εύς, ὁ,

genitive έως, Epic dialect ῆος, [Refs 5th c.AD+] Oracle texts cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+] Aeolic dialect -ηες[Refs 7th c.BC+] old Attic dialect -ῆς[Refs 5th c.BC+]:— king, chief, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: frequently with collateral sense of captain or judge, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; later, hereditary king, opposed to τύραννος, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but also of tyrants, as Hiero, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of Gelo, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of Pisistratus, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: joined with a substantive, βασιλεὺς ἀνήρ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἄναξ β. lord king, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἰωνῶν β., of the eagle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: comparative βασιλεύτερος more kingly, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: superlative βασιλεύτατος [Refs 8th c.BC+]

__b of the gods, Ζεὺς θεῶν β. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; as cult title of Zeus, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ μέγας β., of God, [LXX+1st c.AD+]: superlative βασιλεύτατοι τῶν θεῶν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__2 as a title of rank, prince, β. εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοὶ ἐν.. Ἰθάκῃ [Refs 8th c.BC+], etc.; of Cyrus, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2.b descendant of a royal house, especially in Ionia, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; βασιλέων οἶκοι 'estates of the royal house', name of a district in Chios, Ἀθηνᾶ [Refs]
__3 generally, lord, master, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__4 metaphorically, πόλεμος πάντων β. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II at Athens, the second of the nine Archons, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 title of magistrates in other Greek states, as βασιλᾶες at Elis, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.3 at Rome, β. τῶν ἱερῶν, = rex sacrorum, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__III after the Persian war (without Article), the king of Persia, [Refs 5th c.BC+] of the Satraps, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2 of Alexander and his successors, usually with Article, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; Ἀντίγονος Alex.III; Πτολεμαῖος [Refs 1st c.BC+]; title used by Parthian kings, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; of God, [NT]
__III.3 of the Roman emperors, [NT+1st c.AD+]
__IV of any great man, πένησί τε καὶ βασιλεῦσιν [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__IV.2 first or most distinguished of any class, Ἡρώδην τὸν β. τῶν λόγων [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; winner at a game, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Stoic sage, μόνος β. [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; βασιλέως ἐγκέφαλος 'morsel fit for a king', [Refs 4th c.BC+]; β. σῦκα, name of a choice kind, Philem.Legal. cited in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__V ={συμποσίαρχος}, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__VI wren, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__VII queen-bee,[Refs] is scanned ?\~X ?\~X ¯ in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; codices βασίλεια.)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Ps.47.2* ☩ 1Tim.2.2}