Quick Definition
of old, long ago
Strong's Definition
(adverbially) formerly, or (by relatively) sometime since; (elliptically as adjective) ancient
Derivation: probably another form for G3825 (πάλιν) (through the idea of retrocession);
KJV Usage: any while, a great while ago, (of) old, in time past
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πάλαι, adverb of time, from Homer down;
1. of old; Heb_1:1; (as adjective) former, 2Pe_1:9. (πάλαι properly designates the past not like πρίν and πρότερον relatively, i. e. with a reference, more or less explicit, to some other time (whether past, present, or future), but simply and absolutely.)
2. long ago: Mat_11:21; Luk_10:13; Jud_1:4; so also of time just past, Mar_15:44 (A. V. any while) (where L Tr text WH text ἤδη); 2Co_12:19 L T Tr WH (R. V. all this time) (so in Homer, Odyssey 20, 293; Josephus, Antiquities 14, 15, 4).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πάλαι palai 6x
of old, long ago, Mat_11:21 ; Luk_10:13 ; Heb_1:1 ; Jud_1:4 ;
οἱ πάλαι , old, former, 2Pe_1:9 ;
some time since, already, Mar_15:44
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πάλαι ,
adv. of time,
[in LXX : Isa_48:5 ; Isa_48:7 ( H227 ), etc.;]
long ago, of old, in time past (denoting past time absolutely, as πρότερον relatively) : Mat_11:21 , Luk_10:13 , Heb_1:1 , Jud_1:4 ; as adj. , c . art., 2Pe_1:9 ; of time just past, Mar_6:47 ( WH , mg .), Mar_15:44 ( WH , mg ., R , txt .); c . durst . praes . ( RV , all this time ), 2Co_12:19 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πάλαι [page 475]
long ago : P Hib I. 46 .14 (B.C. 258) ἔδει δὲ πάλαι τὰ ἐνέχυρα αὐτῶν ὧδε εἶν [αι , their securities ought to have been here long ago (Edd.), P Oxy IX. 1219 .6 (iii/A.D.) ὃ καὶ σὺ ἐπίστασαι ἔτι πάλαι ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ , which also you know long since from his father, P Lond 113. 1 .32 (vi/A.D.) (= I. p. 201) πρὸς τοῖς ἤδη πάλαι δοθεῖσιν , in addition to those ( sc. monies) already given long ago. In 2Co_12:19 πάλαι with durative present = all this time. For the comp. παλαίτερον , see PSI IV. 349 .6 (B.C. 254 3) ἀπεστάλκαμεν δὲ περὶ τούτου παλαίτερον εἰς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν πρὸς Ἀπολλώνιον .
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
πάλαι "long ago, in olden time, in days of yore, in time gone by" Il. , Soph. , etc.; πάλαι ποτέ "once upon a time", Ar. :—often used with a pres. in the sense of a perf., ὁρῶ πάλαι, Lat. dudum video, I have long seen, Soph. ; πάλαι ποτ᾽ ὄντες ye who have "long ago" been, Ar. ;—also with the Art., τὸ πάλαι Hdt. , Thuc. , etc. πάλαι is often used like an adj. with the Art. and a Noun, οἱ πάλαι φῶτες men "of old", Pind. ; Κάδμου τοῦ πάλαι Soph. ; τὰ π. Dem. of time "just past", ἠμὲν πάλαι ἠδ᾽ ἔτι καὶ νῦν Il. : hence πάλαι comes to mean "not long ago, but now, just now", much like ἄρτι, Aesch. , Plat.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
πάλαι
adv. of time, [in LXX: Isa.48:5, 7 (אָז), etc. ;]
long ago, of old, in time past (denoting past time absolutely, as πρότερον relatively) : Mat.11:21, Luk.10:13, Heb.1:1, Ju 4; as adj., with art., 2Pe.1:9; of time just past, Mrk.6:47 (WH, mg.), Mrk.15:44 (WH, mg., R, txt.); with durst. praes. (RV, all this time), 2Co.12:19.†
(AS)