Lexical Definition

‎λούω‎ loúō (loo'-o) to wash ^G:V
a primary verb

wash.

• to bathe (the whole person
• whereas ‎νίπτω‎ means to wet a part only, and ‎πλύνω‎ to wash, cleanse garments exclusively)

Abbott-Smith

λούω, [in LXX chiefly for רחץ (freq. of ceremonial washing; cf. Deiss., BS, 226 f.);]
to bathe, wash the body: c. acc. pers., Ac 9:37 (of a dead body); id. seq. ἀπό (Deiss., BS, 226 f.), Ac 16:33; pass. ptcp. pf., Jo 13:10, He 10:22; mid., to wash oneself (Mayor, in l.; M. Pr., 155 f., 238 f.), II Pe 2:22; metaph., Re 1:5, Rec., R, mg. (cf. ἀπο-λούω).†
SYN.: νίπτω, used of parts of the body-hands, feet, face; πλύνω, of things, as garments, etc. (v. Le 15:11; cf. Tr., Syn., § xlv).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

λούω,

contraction from λοέω, from which come imperfect λόεον [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist infinitive λοέσσαι [Refs]; participle λοέσσας [Refs 8th c.BC+]: future middle λοέσσομαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]aorist λοέσσατο[Refs 8th c.BC+]: also Epic dialect imperfect ἐλούεον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive λούειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future λούσω [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; Doric dialect λουσῶ [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: aorist ἔλουσα [Refs 6th c.BC+] (Epic dialect λοῦσα [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—middle λούονται [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive λούεσθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; participle λουόμενοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future λούσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist ἐλουσάμην[Refs]; Epic dialect λούσαντο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Doric dialect participle λωσάμενος [Refs]: —passive, aorist ἐλούθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]perfect λέλουμαι, 3rd.pers. singular λέλουται [Refs 5th c.BC+]; participle λελουμένος [LXX+8th c.BC+]—Another old form of the present was λόω, whence 3rd.pers. singular λόει [Refs], 2nd pers. singular middle κατα-λόει [Refs 5th c.BC+]: 3rd.pers. singular imperfect λόε [Refs 8th c.BC+], 3rd.pers. plural λόον [Refs]; 3rd.pers. singular subjunctive middle λόηται [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; infinitive λόεσθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—to λόω also belong the following contraction forms, 3rd.pers. singular imperfect ἀπ-έλου [Refs 5th c.BC+]; present passive λοῦται [Refs 7th c.BC+]; λοῦνται, ἐλοῦτο, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural ἐλοῦντο [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive λοῦσθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; participle λούμενος [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc., are rejected by [Refs 5th c.BC+]: (Cf. Latin l[acaron]vo [from *lovo]): — wash, properly wash the body (νίζω being used of the hands and feet, πλύνω of clothes), τὸν δ᾽ Ἥβη λοῦσεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λοῦσ᾽ ἐν ποταμῷ bathed me, i.e. let me bathe, [Refs]; τίς ἄν σφε λούσειε; [NT+5th c.BC+]; also λ ἐκ τρίποδος μεγάλοιο washed me [with water] from a great cauldron, [Refs 8th c.BC+]

__b rarely of things, λ. τὰ δύο μέρη τοῦ βαλανείου [Refs 5th c.AD+]
__2 metaphorically, purify, τινὰ ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν variant in [NT]
__II middle and passive, bathe, λοῦσθαι ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσι [Refs 8th c.BC+] fresh from Ocean's bath, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λούεσθαι ποταμοῖο bathe in the river,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; λελουμένος freshbathed, after bathing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 in strict passive sense, λοῦσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ Διός, i.e. to be washed by the rain from heaven, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 in strict middle sense, with accusative, λοέσσασθαι χρόα wash one's body, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λούονται (variant{λοῦνται}) ὕδατι τὸ σῶμα [Refs 5th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Song.5.12 ☩ Acts.16.33 ☩ Rev.1.5}