Quick Definition
ἀπώλεια, ας, ἡ n.f. destruction, ruin, loss
Strong's Definition
from a presumed derivative of 622; ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal)
KJV Usage: damnable(-nation), destruction, die, perdition, X perish, pernicious ways, waste
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ας | ὀλοθρεύω
20.31 · Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill · Destroy
destruction act of destroying or causing the destruction of persons, objects, or institutions In a number of languages it is difficult to find a general term for ‘destruction.’ What has often happened is the extension of meaning from a more specific type of reference, for example, ‘to smash,’ to a more generic meaning of ‘to destroy,’ and whether one understands the specific or more generic meaning depends largely upon the context. Accordingly, in ACT 8:3 one may find a figurative usage of a term meaning ‘to smash’ (though understood in a more generic sense), for example, ‘Saul then worked in order to smash the church.’
MAT 7:13 · JHN 17:12 · ACT 8:20 · ROM 9:22 · PHP 1:28 · PHP 3:19 · 2TH 2:3 · 1TI 6:9 · HEB 10:39 · 2PE 2:1 · 2PE 2:1 · 2PE 2:3 · 2PE 3:7 · 2PE 3:16 · REV 17:8 · REV 17:11
65.14 · Value · Valuable, Lacking in Value
waste, ruin an action demonstrating complete disregard for the value of something In the context of MRK 14:4 the understanding of ἀπώλεια in the literal sense of ‘destruction’ (see 20.31) does not seem to be adequate. The following verse concerning the three hundred denarii would seem to indicate that it was disregard for the value of something rather than destroying the perfume. In fact, the use of the perfume would not have been a matter of destroying. Accordingly, an equivalent of ‘waste’ seems to be far more satisfactory. In some languages the equivalent of this question in MRK 14:4 is ‘why did she not think about the value of the perfume?’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀπώλεια, -as, 9, (fr. ἀπόλλυμι, q- V-); 1. actively, a destroying, utter destruction: as, of vessels, Ro. ix. 22; τοῦ μύρου, waste, Mk. xiv. 4 (in Mt. xxvi. 8 without a gen.), (in Polyb. 6, 59, 5 consumption, opp. to τήρησις); the putting of a man to death, Acts xxv. 16 Rec.; by meton. a destructive thing or opinion: in plur. 2 Pet. ii. 2 Rec. ; but the correct reading ἀσελγείαις was long ago adopted here. 2. passively, a perishing, ruin, destruction; a. in general: τὸ ἀργύριόν σου σύν σοι εἴη εἰς ἀπ. let thy money perish with thee, Acts viii. 20; βυθίζειν τινὰ εἰς ὄλεθρον x. ἀπώλειαν, with the inelzde@ 9352. of apa misery, 1 Tim. vi. 9; αἱρέσεις ἀπωλείας destructive opinions, 2 Pet. ii. 1; ἐπάγειν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπώλειαν, ibid. cf. vs. 3. b. in particular, the destruction which consists in the loss of eternal life, eternal misery, perdition, the lot of those excluded from the kingdom of God: Rev. xvii. 8, 11, ef. xix. 20; Phil. iii. 19; 2 Pet. iii. 16; opp. to ἡ περιποίησις τῆς ψυχῆς, Heb. x. 39; to ἡ ζωή, Mt. vii. 13; to σωτηρία, Phil. i. 28. ὁ vids τῆς ἀπωλείας, a man doomed to eternal misery (a Hebraism, see vids, 2): 2 Th. ii. 3 (of Antichrist) ; Jn. xvii. 12 (of Judas, the traitor) ; ἡμέρα κρίσεως k. ἀπωλείας τῶν ἀσεβῶν, 2 Pet. iii. 7. (In prof. auth. fr. Polyb. u. 5. [but see Aristot. probl. 17, 3, 2, vol. ii. p. 916", 26; 29,14, 10 ibid. 952», 26; Nicom. eth. 4, 1 ibid. 1120", 2, ete.]; often in the Sept. and O. 'T. Apocr.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀπώλεια apōleia 18x
consumption, destruction; waste, profusion, Mt. 26:8; Mk. 14:4; destruction, state of being destroyed, Acts 25:6; eternal ruin, perdition, Mt. 7:13; Acts 8:20
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀπώλεια, -ας, ἡ
(< ἀπόλλυμι), [in LXX (Cremer, 797) for אבד, אֵיד, etc.;]
destruction, waste, loss, perishing (in π., of money, v. MM, s.v.): Mt 26:8, Mk 14:4, Ac 8:20, Ro 9:22, I Ti 6:9, II Pe 2:1; in special sense of the loss of eternal life, perdition, the antithesis of σωτηρία: Mt 7:13, Jo 17:12, Phl 1:28 3:19, II Th 2:3, He 10:39, II Pe 2:3 3:7, 16, Re 17:8, 11 (DB, iii, 744).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀπώλεια. The weaker sense of a. is illustrated by P Tebt II. 276% acquired certain possessions ἐξωδιασμὸν αὐτῶν [ποιήσ]εται καὶ ἀπώλειαν, ‘will spend and lose them” (Edd.). Similarly in a series of nursing-contracts of the time of Augustus in BGU IV. we find the phrase ἐκτίνειν τὴν ἑκάστου ἀξίαν πλὴν συμφανοῦς ἀπωλείας, e.g. 1058") (= Chres¢. II. 170), 1106, a/. For the stronger meaning which we associate with NT usage, cf. the close of an ancient Coptic spell from the iii/A.D. Paris magical papyrus 224° (= Se/ections, p. 114) ἔξελθε δαῖμον, ἔπεί σε δεσμεύω δεσμοῖς ἀδαμαντίνοις ἀλύτοις, καὶ παραδίδωμί σε εἰς τὸ μέλαν χάος ἐν ταῖς ἀπωλίαις, ‘give you over to black chaos in utter destruction.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀπώλεια (apōleia) — destruction. ἀπώλεια, ἡ, destruction, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. loss, [Refs]; opposed to τήρησις, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; τῶν χρόνων ἀ.[Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.2. perdition, [NT]
II.3. thing lost, [LXX]