Lexical Definition

‎καθαρός‎ katharós (kath-ar-os') clean ^G:A
of uncertain affinity

clean, clear, pure.

• clean (literally or figuratively)

Abbott-Smith

καθαρός, -ά, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for טָהוֹר;]
pure, clean.
1. Physically: Mt 23:26 27:59, Jo 13:10, 11 (fig.), Jo 15:3 (fig., as of a vine cleansed by pruning), He 10:22, Re 15:6 19:8, 14 21:18, 21.
2. Ceremonially: Lk 11:41, Ro 14:20, Tit 1:15.
3. Ethically;
(a) of persons: Jo 13:16, Ac 18:6, Tit 1:15; ὁ κ. τῇ καρδίᾳ (καθαρὸς χειρας, Hdt., i, 35), Mt 5:8; seq. ἀπό (cl. c. gen. simp.; Bl., § 36, 11; Deiss., BS, 196; MM, Exp., xv), Ac 20:26;
(b) of things: καρδία, I Ti 1:5, II Ti 2:22; συνείδησις, I Ti 3:9, II Ti 1:3; θρησκεία, Ja 1:27.†
SYN.: v.s. ἁγνός.

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

καθαρός-ός, ά, όν,

Doric dialect καθαρός [Refs 5th c.AD+], Aeolic dialect κόθ- [Refs 7th c.BC+]; compare ἀνακαθαίρω, κάθαρσις:

__1 physically clean, spotless (not in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of persons, cleanly, κ. περὶ ἐσθῆτα [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__2 clear of admixture, clear, pure, especially of water, Βορυσθένης ῥέει καθαρὸς παρὰ θολεροῖσι [LXX+5th c.BC+]; κ. φάος, φέγγος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of white bread, Wilcken [LXX+3rd c.BC+]; ἄλευρον κ. [Refs]; χρυσίον, ἀργύριον -ώτατον, [Refs 5th c.BC+]winnowed, πυρὸς κ. ἄδολος [Refs 2nd c.BC+], etc.; of metals, etc., σίδηρος [Refs 5th c.AD+], etc.; ἀρωμάτων, καθαρῶν, λαχάνων, uncertain meaning in [Refs 4th c.AD+]; ἄκρατος καὶ κ. νοῦς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of feelings, unmixed, μῖσος τῆς ἀλλοτρίας φύσεως [Refs 6th c.BC+]; serene, φρήν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__3 clear of objects, free, ἐν καθαρῷ (i.e. τόπῳ) in an open space, ἐν κ., ὅθι δὴ νεκύων διεφαίνετο χῶρος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πάξαις Ἄλτιν ἐν κ. in a clearing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν κ. βῆναι to leave the way clear, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν τῷ κ. οἰκεῖν live in the clear sunshine, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; διὰ καθαροῦ ῥέειν, of a river whose course is clear and open, [Refs 5th c.BC+] substantive, κελεύθῳ ἐν κ[Refs 5th c.BC+]; χῶρος κ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν ἡλίῳ κ. in the open sun, opposed to σκιά, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥς σφι τὸ ἐμποδὼν ἐγεγόνεε κ. was cleared away, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κ. ποιεῖσθαι τὰς ἀρκυστασίας set up the nets in open ground, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently of land, free from weeds, etc., παραδώσω τὸν κλῆρον κ. ἀπὸ θρύου καλάμου ἀγρώστεως κτλ. [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; παραδώσω τὰς ἀρούρας κ. ὡς ἔλαβον [Refs 3rd c.AD+] clear of the marks, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καθαρὸν τῶν προβόλων, of a fort, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of documents, free from mistakes, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; χειρόγραφον κ. ἀπὸ ἐπιγραφῆς καὶ ἀλείφαδος free from interlineation and erasure, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__3.b metaphorically, free, clear of debt, liability, etc., κ. ἀπὸ δημοσίων καὶ παντὸς εἴδους [Refs 1st c.AD+]; γῆ κ. ἀπὸ γεωργίας βασιλικῆς [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; καθαρὰ ποιῆσαι to give a discharge, [Refs]; in moral sense, free from pollution, καθαρῷ θανάτῳ an honourable death, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; frequently free from guilt or defilement, pure, χεῖρες [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔρχομαι ἐκ κοθαρῶν κοθαρά Orph[Refs]; of ceremonial purity, καθαρὰ καὶ ἁγνή εἰμι ἀπό τε τῶν ἄλλων τῶν οὐ καθαρευόντων καὶ ἀπ᾽ ἀνδρὸς συνουσίας Jusj. cited in [LXX+4th c.BC+]; especially of persons purified after pollution, ἱκέτης προσῆλθες κ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also of things, βωμοί, θύματα, δόμος, μέλαθρα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with genitive, clear of or from.. , κ. ἐγκλημάτων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀδικίας, κακῶν, [NT+5th c.BC+]; ceremonially pure, of food, ὄσπριον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of victims, [LXX+2nd c.AD+], etc.; κ. ἡμέραι, opposed to ἀποφράδες, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__3.c in active sense, purifying, cleansing, λέβης [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__4 of birth, pure, genuine, σπέρμα θεοῦ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πόλις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῶν Ἀθηναίων ὅπερ ἐστράτευε καθαρὸν ἐξῆλθε, i.e. were citizens of pure blood, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ τῷ γένει μὴ κ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; κ. ἀστοί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καθαρόν a real, genuine saying, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κ. Τίμων a Timon pure and simple, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ζημία κ., of a person, Alciphro 3.21.
__5 of language, pure, ὀνόματα, λέξις, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; so of writers, [Λυσίας] κ. τὴν ἑρμηνείαν [Refs]; also, clear, simple, σεμνὸς καὶ κ. [Refs 4th c.AD+]
__5.b Grammars, preceded by a vowel, pure, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; containing a 'pure' syllable, [Refs]
__6 without blemish, sound, ὁ κ. στρατός, τὸ κ. τοῦ στρατοῦ, the sound portion of the army, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__7 clear, exact, ἂν κ. ὦσιν αἱ ψῆφοι if the accounts are exactly balanced, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II adverb purely, ἁγνῶς καὶ καθαρῶς [Refs 8th c.BC+]: comparative -ωτέρως[Refs 3rd c.AD+]
__II.2 of birth, κ. γεγονέναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 with clean hands, honestly, σὺν δίκῃ.. καὶ κ. [Refs 6th c.BC+]; δικαίως καὶ κ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 clearly, plainly, λέγειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.5 of language, purely, correctly, -ώτερον διαλέγεσθαι [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__II.6 entirely, [Refs 5th c.BC+] in its purest form, [Refs 1st c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Num.5.17 ☩ LXX.Num.8.7 ☩ Acts.20.26 ☩ LXX.Gen.24.8 ☩ LXX.Gen.7.2}