Lexical Definition

‎μᾶλλον‎ mâllon (mal'-lon) more ^G:ADV
neuter of the comparative of the same as ‎μάλιστα‎

+ better, X far, (the) more (and more), (so) much (the more), rather.

• (adverbially) more (in a greater degree)) or rather

Abbott-Smith

μάλα, adv., [in LXX for אֲבָל, III Ki 1:43, Da LXX 10:21, al.; compar. for מ, Nu 13:32* (31*), al.; μᾶλλον ἠ (מ), Ge 19:9, al.; superlat., II Mac 8:7, IV Mac 4:22 12:9 15:4;]
I. Pos., very, very much, exceedingly (cl.; LXX ut supr.; in NT its place is taken by λίαν, σφόδρα, etc.).
II. Compar., μᾶλλον.
1. Of increase, more; with qualifying words: πολλῷ, Mk 10:48, Lk 18:39, Ro 5:15, 17, Phl 2:12, al.; πόσῳ, Lk 12:24, Ro 11:12, al.; τοσούτῳ . . . ὅσῳ, He 10:25.
2. Of comparison, the more: Lk 5:15, Jo 5:18, Ac 5:14, I Th 4:1, 10, II Pe 1:10; ἔτι μ. καὶ μ., Phl 1:9; c. compar., Mk 7:36, II Co 7:13; πολλῴ μ. κρεῖσσον, Phl 1:23; μ. διαφέρειν, c. gen., Mt 6:26; μ. ἤ, Mt 18:13; c. gen., I Co 14:18; as periphr. for compar., Ac 20:35, I Co 9:15, Ga 4:27; μ. δέ (EV, yea rather), Ro 8:34.
3. Of preference, rather, the rather, sooner: with qualifying words, πολλῷ, Mt 6:30, al.; πολύ, He 12:25; πόσῳ, Mt 7:11, al.; in a question, οὐ μ., I Co 9:12; after a neg., Mt 10:6, al.; θέλω (εὐδοκῶ) μ., I Co 14:5, II Co 5:8; ζηλῶ, I Co 14:1; c. subst., τ. σκότος ἢ τ. φῶς, Jo 3:19; μ. δέ, Ga 4:9.
III. Superl., μάλιστα, most, most of all, above all: Ac 20:38 25:26, Ga 6:10, Phl 4:22, I Ti 4:10 5:8, 17, II Ti 4:13, Tit 1:10, Phm 16, II Pe 2:10; μ. γνώστης, Ac 26:3.

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

meaning of: μᾶλλον

Included with: μᾶλλον [μᾰλᾰ;

but [Refs 8th c.BC+] sometimes uses the ultima long before λ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; before μ, [Refs] adverb very, exceedingly, prefixed or subjoined to Adjectives, Verbs, and Adverbs:

__II comparative μᾶλλον [ᾱ by nature, Hdn.Gr.[Refs]μάλιον [ᾰ] only in [Refs 7th c.BC+]; late Doric dialect μαλλότερον [Refs 5th c.AD+]:—more, rather, [Refs 8th c.BC+] more than is expedient, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παντὸς μ. most assuredly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: denoting a constant increase, more and more, sometimes doubled, μ. μ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in positive sense, exceedingly, κηρόθι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+] —Usage:
__II.1 frequently strengthened by other words, πολὺ μ. [NT+8th c.BC+] somewhat more, μ. τι περιημέκτεε [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 sometimes with a second comparative, ῥηΐτεροι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.3 μᾶλλον δέ much more.., or rather.., to correct a statement already made, ὁ δεσπότης πέπραγεν εὐτυχέστατα, μ. δ᾽ ὁ Πλοῦτος αὐτός [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐχὶ μ. ἤ.. not so, but rather so.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 μ. δὲ καὶ ἡσυχαίτερα more or less violent, [Refs]
__II.5 οὐδὲν μ. none the more,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; μηδέν τι μ. ἤ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.6 μ. ἤ.. followed by οὐ in comparisons, where preference implies rejection or denial, πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἤ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους [Refs 5th c.BC+]: preceded by another negative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.7 τὸ μ. καὶ ἧττον, a form of argument, a fortiori, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.8 παντὸς μ., see at {πᾶς} [Refs]
__III superlative μάλιστα most of all, above all, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. μὲν.., ἔπειτα or ἔπειτα δέ.., first and above all.., next.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. μὲν.., δεύτερον δὲ.. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; μ. μὲν.., εἰ δὲ μὴ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μάλιστα μὲν.., μᾶλλον μέντοι.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μάλιστα.., εἰ μὴ δ᾽.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δοκέων μιν μ. ταύτης ἂν πείθεσθαι certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί μ.; what precisely? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ μ. πάντων the supreme reality, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; τὸ μ. εἶναι the highest degree of being, [Refs]
__III.1 strengthened, ὡς μ. certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2 with the Article, ἐς τὰ μ. in the highest degree, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰ τὰ μ. ἦσαν ἀληθεῖς if they were ever so true, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; εἰ τὰ μ. μὴ τινές, ἀλλὰ πάντες.. if (to put an extreme case) not some, but all.., [Refs]; ἀνὴρ δόκιμος ὁμοῖα τῷ μ. as famous as he that is most [famous], [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2.b ἐν τοῖς μ. especially, as much as any, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with a superlative, ἐν τοῖς μ. ὠμότατος [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III.3 added to a superlative (see. μᾶλλον [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__III.4 μάλιστα for μᾶλλον, μ. τῆς κόρης [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.5 with numerals, in round numbers, about, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πεντήκοντα μάλιστα[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐς μέσον μάλιστά κῃ about the middle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. σφᾶς μεσοῦν δειπνοῦντας that they were about the middle of supper, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.6 in answers, most certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. (Orig. perhaps fiercely, compare μαλερός.)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: 1Cor.12.22}