Quick Definition
a ruler, potentate
Strong's Definition
a ruler or officer
Derivation: from G1410 (δύναμαι);
KJV Usage: of great authority, mighty, potentate
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
δυνάστης, δυνάστου, ὁ (δύναμαι); from (Sophocles and) Herodotus on; powerful;
1. a prince, potentate: Luk_1:52; used of God (Sir_46:5; 2Ma_15:3; 2Ma_15:23, etc.; of Zeus, Sophocles Ant. 608), 1Ti_6:15.
2. a courtier, high officer, royal minister: Act_8:27 (A. V. (a eunuch) of great authority; but see Meyer at the passage) (δυνάσται Φαραώ, Gen_50:4).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
δυνάστης dynastēs 3x
a potentate, sovereign; prince, Luk_1:52 ; 1Ti_6:15 ; a person of rank and authority, Act_8:27
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
δυνάστης , -ου , ὁ
( < δύναμαι ),
[in LXX for H1368 , H6184 , H1004 , etc.;]
a prince, ruler, potentate: Luk_1:52 ; of God ( Sir_46:5 ; Sir_46:16 , 2Ma_15:3 ), 1Ti_6:15 ; of a high official ( cf. δυνάσται Φαραώ , Gen_50:4 ), Act_8:27 ( Cremer , 221).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
δυνάστης [page 172]
In OGIS 573 .22 (i/A.D.) the title of δυνάστης is applied to the son of Archelaus who succeeded his father in the government of Cilicia without the title of King. It describes the chief of a Thracian clan in Syll 318 .22 (B.C. 118) συνεπελθόντος μετ᾽ αὐτῶν Τίπα τοῦ τῶν Μαίδων δυνάστου μετ᾽ ὄχλ [ου π ]λείονος . The Commagene rescript, OGIS 383 .229 (middle of i/B.C.) has ὅστις τε ἄν βασιλεὺς ἤ δυνάστης ἐν μακρῶι χρόνωι ταύτην ἀρχὴν παραλάβῃ , and ib. 441 .132 (B.C. 81) αἵδε ἀπεδέξαντο τῶν πόλεων καὶ βασιλέ [ων ] καὶ δυναστῶν τήν τε ἀσυλίαν τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ τὸ [ν ] ἀγῶνα τὸν τιθέμενον κατὰ πενταετηρίδα Ἑκάτηι Σωτείραι Ἐπιφανεῖ κτλ . For δυναστεύω see the Canopic decree, OGIS 56 .12 (B.C. 237) τήν τε χώραν ἐν εἰρήνηι διατετήρηκεν προπολεμῶν ὑπὲρ αὺτῆς πρὸς πολλὰ ἔθνη καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς δυναστεύοντας , and for δυναστεία , BGU II. 428 .7 (ii/A.D.). This last word is applied to the Divine sovranty in Aristeas 194 καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς διδοὺς ἀνοχὰς καὶ ἐνδεικνύμενος τὰ τῆς δυναστείας φόβον ἐγκατασκευάζει πάσῃ διανοίᾳ , for God also by granting a reprieve and making but a display of His sovranty instils terror into every breast.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
δυνάστης δυ^νάστης, ου, (n du^nast hs_ou stem_acc masc ) (n du^na^t hs_ou stem_acc masc poetic Aesch. ) [Etym: δύναμαι] "a lord, master, ruler", of Zeus, Soph. ; οἱ δ., Lat. optimates, Hdt. : in Aesch. , the stars are λαμπροὶ δυνάσται.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
δυνάστης, -ου, ὁ
(δύναμαι), [in LXX for גִּבּוֹר, עָרִיץ, בַּיִת, etc. ;]
a prince, ruler, potentate: Luk.1:52; of God (Sir.46:5, 16, 2Ma.15:3), 1Ti.6:15; of a high official (cf. δυνάσται Φαραώ, Gen.50:4), Act.8:27 (Cremer, 221).†
(AS)