Quick Definition
language, speech
Strong's Definition
a (mode of) discourse, i.e. "dialect"
Derivation: from G1256 (διαλέγομαι);
KJV Usage: language, tongue
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
διάλεκτος, διαλεκτου, ἡ (διαλέγω);
1. "conversation, speech, discourse, language (Plato, Demosthenes, others).
2. from Polybius (cf. Aristotle, probl. 10, 38 τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μία φωνή, ἀλλά διαλεκτοι πολλαί) down, the tongue or language peculiar to any people: Act_1:19; Act_2:6; Act_2:8; Act_21:40; Act_22:2; Act_26:14. (Polybius 1, 80, 6; 3, 22, 3; 40, 6, 3f; μεθερμηνεύειν εἰς τήν Ἑλλήνων διάλεκτον, Diodorus 1, 37; πᾶσα μέν διάλεκτος, ἡ δ' Ἑλληνικῇ διαφερόντως ὀνομαατων πλουτει, Philo, vit. Moys. ii. § 7; (cf. Muller on Josephus, contra Apion 1, 22, 4 at the end).)
STRONGS NT 1258a: διαλιμπάνω [διαλιμπάνω (or διαλυμπάνω): imperfect διελιμπανον; to intermit, cease: κλαίων οὐ διελίμπανεν, Act_8:24 WH (rejected) marginal reading; cf. Winers Grammar, 345f (323f); Buttmann, 300 (257). (Tob_10:7; Galen in Hipp. Epid. 1, 3; cf. Bornem. on Acts, the passage cited; Veitch, under the word λιμπάνω.)]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
διάλεκτος dialektos 6x
speech; manner of speaking; peculiar language of a nation, dialect, vernacular idiom, Act_1:19 ; Act_2:6 ; Act_2:8 ; Act_21:40 ; Act_22:2 ; Act_26:14
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
διά -λεκτος , -ου , ἡ
( < διαλέγομαι ),
[in LXX : Da LXX Dan_1:4 ( H3956 ), Est_9:26 * ;]
1. conversation, discourse, speech ( Plat ., Dem ., al. ).
2. As in Polyb . and later writers, the language or dialect of a particular country or district: Act_1:19 ; Act_2:6 ; Act_2:8 ; Act_21:40 ; Act_22:2 ; Act_26:14 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
διάλεκτος [page 150]
P Leid W iv. 29 (ii/iiiA.D.) δὲ ὁ ( sic !) ἐπὶ τῆς βάρεως φανεὶς . . . ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ ἀσπάζεταί σε , λέγων κτλ . the speaker is apparently a being with a dog s head, who would naturally use a special dialect. Thumb, Gr. Dial. p. 22 f., has an important discussion of the precise differentia of διάλεκτος , which from Redeweise came to be Sprache in general (as Act_22:2 ), and was finally specialized to lokale Spracheigentόmlichkeit : see his quotations.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
διάλεκτος διάλεκτος, ἡ, (n dialekt os_ou fem ) [Etym: διαλέγομαι] "discourse: discussion, debate, arguing", Plat. "language: the language of a country, dialect: a local word or phrase", Plut. "a way of speaking, enunciation", Dem.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
διά-λεκτος, -ου, ἡ
(διαλέγομαι), [in LXX: Dan LXX 1:4 (לָשׁוֹן), Est.9:26 * ;]
__1. conversation, discourse, speech (Plat., Dem., al.).
__2. As in Polyb. and later writers, the language or dialect of a particular country or district: Act.1:19 2:6, 8 21:40 22:2 26:14.†
(AS)