Quick Definition
a robber, brigand, bandit
Strong's Definition
a brigand
Derivation: from (to plunder);
KJV Usage: robber, thief
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
λῃστής, ληστου, ὁ (for ληιστής from ληίζομαι, to plunder, and this from Ionic and epic ληίς, for which the Attics use λεῖα, booty) (from Sophocles and Herodotus down), a robber; a plunderer, freebooter, brigand: Mat_26:55; Mar_14:48; Luk_22:52; Joh_10:1; Joh_18:40; plural, Mat_21:13; Mat_27:38; Mat_27:44; Mar_11:17; Mar_15:27; Luk_10:30; Luk_10:36; Luk_19:46; Joh_10:8; 2Co_11:26. (Not to be confounded with κλέπτης thief, one who takes property by stealth (although the distinction is obscured in A. V.); cf. Trench, § xliv.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
λῃστής lēstēs 15x
a plunderer, robber, highwayman, Mat_21:13 ; Mat_26:55 ; Mar_11:17 ; Luk_10:30 ; 2Co_11:26 ;
a bandit, brigand, Mat_27:38 ; Mat_27:44 ; Mar_15:27 ; Joh_18:40 ;
trop. a robber, rapacious imposter, Joh_10:1 ; Joh_10:8 bandit; insurrectionist; robber.
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
λῃστής , -οῦ , ὁ
( < Ep . ληίς = λεία , booty),
[in LXX for H1416 , etc.;]
a robber, brigand: Mat_21:13 ( LXX ) Mat_26:55 ; Mat_27:38 ; Mat_27:44 , Mar_11:17 ; Mar_14:48 ; Mar_15:27 , Luk_10:30 ; Luk_10:36 ; Luk_19:46 ; Luk_22:52 , Joh_10:1 ; Joh_10:8 ; Joh_18:40 , 2Co_11:26 .†
SYN.: κλέπτης G2812 , q.v.
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
λῃστής [page 375]
P Petr III. 28 ( e ) verso ( a ) .1 (iii/B.C.), memoranda relating to criminals, is headed περὶ ἐπ [ιθέσ ]εως ληιστῶν (for form, cf. Mayser Gr. p. 122) : cf. P Par 46 .7 (B.C. 153) (= Witkowski .2 , p. 86) ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαιοτάτοις καιροῖς ληστῶν ἐπικειμένων , P Lips I. 37 .28 (A.D. 389) ἑτοιμότατα γὰρ ἔχω ἀπελε̣ν̣ξαι ἐν τῷ ἀχρ [ά ]ντῳ αὐτοῦ δικαστηρίῳ τούτους ληστὰς ὁμολό [γ ]ους καὶ ζῶα ἀπελακότας ( l. ἀπεληλ ) πολλάκις , and the late P Oxy I. 139 .23 (A.D. 612) ὑποδέξασθαι λιστάς , to have harboured robbers. For λῃστήριον , a band of robbers, cf. P Petr III. 28 ( e ) .6 (iii/B.C.) ἐπέθετο αὐτοῖς ληιστήρ [ιο ]ν , P Hamb I. 10 .7 (ii/A.D.) ἐπέβη μου ταῖς οἰκίαις . . λῃστήριον , and for the meaning robbers lairs, cf. Cagnat IV. 219 .5 τὰ ἐν Ἑλλησπόντῳ ληστήρια . The adj. λῃστ (ρ )ικός is common, e.g. P Tebt I. 53 .11 (B.C. 110) ἐπιθέμενοι λῃστικῶι τρόπωι , ib. II. 332 .5 (A.D. 176) ἐπῆλθάν τινες λῃστρικῷ τρόπῳ οἰκίαν μου . Other derivatives from the same root are λῃστεία (BGU II. 372 ii. 13 A.D. 154), λῃστοπιαστής ( ib. I. 325 .2 c. iii/A.D. an officer detailed for special service in the search for certain criminals), and λῄσταρχος , arch-pirate (P Oxy I. 33 verso iv. 8 late ii/A.D. where the term is used metaphorically).
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
λῃστής λῃστής, οῦ, [Etym: ληίζομαι] "a robber, plunderer", Soph. , Eur. , Xen. ; esp. by sea, "a pirate, rover, buccaneer", Hdt. , Thuc. , etc.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
λῃστής, -οῦ, ὁ
(Ep. ληίς = λεία, booty), [in LXX for גְּדוּד, etc. ;]
a robber, brigand: Mat.21:13 (LXX) Mat.26:55 27:38, 44, Mrk.11:17 14:48 15:27, Luk.10:30, 36 19:46 22:52, Jhn.10:1, 8 18:40, 2Co.11:26.†
SYN.: κλέπτης, q.v (AS)