Lexical Definition

‎φιλοτιμέομαι‎ philotiméomai (fil-ot-im-eh'-om-ahee) to aspire ^G:V
middle voice from a compound of ‎φίλος‎ and ‎τιμή‎

labour, strive, study.

• to be fond of honor, i.e. emulous (eager or earnest to do something)

Abbott-Smith

** φιλοτιμέομαι, -οῦμαι (< φίλος, τιμή), [in LXX: IV Mac 1:35 A ;]
to love or seek after honour, hence, to be ambitious, emulous (Plat., Plut., al.): c. inf., Ro 15:20, II Co 5:9, I Th 4:11.†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

φιλοτιμέομαι-έομαι,

future ήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later, -ηθήσομαι[Refs 1st c.BC+] codices: aorist ἐφιλοτιμήθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect πεφιλοτίμημαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—perfect in passive sense, [Refs 1st c.AD+]: (φιλότιμος):—love or seek after honour, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, to be ambitious, emulous, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. ὅτι.. to be jealous because.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. πρὸς ἀλλήλους, πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους, vie emulously with, rival, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__2 the object of ambition, etc., is mostly added with a preposition, φ. ἐπί τινι to place one's fame in a thing, glory or pride oneself upon it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περὶ τῶν καλῶν contend in rivalry for, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; περὶ τὴν θήραν, δεῖπνα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. πρὸς τὴν πόλιν show patriotic zeal for.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II with infinitive, strive eagerly to do a thing, endeavour earnestly, aspire, οἳ πάνυ ἂν φιλοτιμηθεῖεν φίλῳ σοι χρῆσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.; φιλοτιμούμενοι ἐπιδείκνυσθαιπρὸς ἅπαντας [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with participle, φ. ἐλέγχων [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with accusative et infinitive, to be anxious that.., [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__III with dative of things, present with a thing, χρήμασί τινας see reading in [Refs 6th c.AD+]: but with accusative of things, lavish upon, τινί τι [Refs 5th c.AD+]