Quick Definition
one eighth of a Roman mile
Strong's Definition
a stade or certain measure of distance; by implication, a stadium or race-course
Derivation: from the base of G2476 (ἵστημι) (as fixed);
KJV Usage: furlong, race
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
στάδιον, σταδιου, plural τά σταδια (Joh_6:19 Tdf.), and οἱ σταδιοι (so (Mat_14:24 Tr text WH text); Luk_24:13; Joh_6:19 (not Tdf.); Rev_21:16 (Relz G L WH marginal reading); 2Ma_11:5 2Ma_12:10; 2Ma_12:29; in the other passages, the gender is not apparent (see Tdf. Proleg., p. 117; WHs Appendix, p. 157); Krüger, § 19, 2, 1) (ΣΤΑΩ, ἵστημι; hence, properly, 'established,' that which stands fast, a 'stated' distance, a 'fixed standard' of length), a stadium, i. e.
1. a measure of length comprising 600 Greek feet, or 625 Roman feet, or 125 Roman paces (Pliny, h. n. 2, 23 (21), 85), hence, one-eighth of a Roman mile (i. e. 606 3/4 English feet (about 15 miles less than one-fifth of a kilometer)); the space or distance of that length (A. V. a furlong): (Mat_14:24 Tr text WH text); Luk_24:13; Joh_6:19; Joh_11:18; Rev_14:20; Rev_21:16.
2. a race-course, i. e. place in which contests in running were held; the one who outstripped the rest, and reached the goal first, receiving the prize: 1Co_9:24 (here A. V. race). Courses of this description were to be found in most of the larger Greek cities, and were, like that at Olympia, 600 Greek feet in length. Cf. Winers RWB, under the word Sigdium; Grundt in Schenkel, under the word, vol. v., 375f; (BB. DD. under the word ).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
στάδιον stadion 7x
pr. a fixed standard of measure; a stadium, the eighth part of a Roman mile, and nearly equal to a furlong, containing 201.45 yards, about 192 meters, Luk_24:13 ; Mat_14:24 ; Joh_6:19 ; Joh_11:18 ; Rev_14:20 ; Rev_21:16 ; a race-course, a race, 1Co_9:24
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
στάδιον , -ου , τό ,
pl., στάδια ( Joh_6:19 , T ), and metapl., στάδιοι ( v. B1., 9, 1),
[in LXX : Da LXX Dan_4:9 , Sus 1:37, 2Ma_11:5 ; 2Ma_12:9 ff . * ;]
a stadium, i.e .
1. a measure of length = 600 Greek feet or ⅛ of a Roman mile Mat_14:24 ( Rec. , WH , txt ., R , mg .), Luk_24:13 , Joh_6:19 ; Joh_11:18 , Rev_14:20 ; Rev_21:16 , and, this being the length of the Olympic course,
2. a race-course: 1Co_9:24 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
στάδιος / στάδιον [page 586]
a measurement of distance = 600 Greek feet, or about 12 yards short of a furlong, which is used to translate it in AV, RV of Luk_24:13 , al. : cf. Preisigke 401 .9 (A.D. 10 11) ἐπὶ σταδ [ίου ]ς δι̣α̣κοσίους . As a stade was the length of the Olympic course, the word came to be used of a racecourse, as in P Ryl II. 93 .16 (iii/A.D.) where σταδίου appears as the heading of a list of athletes : cf. 1Co_9:24 . In ib. 157 .7 (A.D. 135) the words ἐν [σ ]τ̣αδίωι δευτέρωι occur in connexion with the measurement of a plot of land, but their meaning is quite obscure (Edd.).
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
στάδιον [Etym: pl. στάδια and στάδιοι, but never στάδιος in sg.] [Etym: στῆναι] a fixed standard of length, "a stade, =" 100 ὀργυιαί or 6 πλέθρα, i. e. 600 Greek or 606 3/4 English feet, about 1/8 of a "Roman mile", Polyb. : —ἑκατὸν σταδίοισιν ἄριστος ""best by" a hundred miles, " Ar. ; πλεῖν ἢ σταδίῳ λαλίστερος more loquacious than "a mile" and more, id=Ar. "a race-course" (that of Olympia being a stade long), Pind. , etc.; ἀγωνίζεσθαι στ. to run "a race", Hdt. ; στ. νικᾶν to win one, Xen.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
στάδιον, -ου, τό pl., στάδια (Jhn.6:19, T), and metapl., στάδιοι (see B1., 9, 1),
[in LXX: Dan LXX 4:9, Sus 1:37, 2Ma.11:5 2Mac 12:9 ff. * ;]
a stadium, i.e.
__1. a measure of length = 600 Greek feet or 1⁄8 of a Roman mile Mat.14:24 (Rec., WH, txt., R, mg.), Luk.24:13, Jhn.6:19 11:18, Rev.14:20 21:16, and, this being the length of the Olympic course,
__2. a race-course: 1Co.9:24.†
(AS)