Quick Definition
ἀρήν, ἀρνός, ὁ n.m. a lamb
Strong's Definition
perhaps the same as 730; a lamb (as a male)
KJV Usage: lamb
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -ἀρνός | ἀρνίον
4.24 · Animals · Animals
lamb young of sheep (πρόβατον); often used for ritual sacrifice In a number of languages a clear distinction is made between male and female lambs. It is therefore essential in any figurative reference to male persons to employ an appropriate term for lamb. In a number of languages, of course, a lamb is simply referred to as a ‘young sheep’ or ‘child sheep.’
Perhaps the most widespread story about cultural differences in Bible translation is the one which refers to the translation of ‘lamb’ as ‘little seal of God’ in an Eskimo language. However, there is no evidence that this type of rendering was ever used, since in matters of appearance, habitat, and behavior, lambs and little seals have practically nothing in common. Furthermore, Eskimo languages have terms for ‘lamb’ and in some instances, at least, use the expression ‘young, woolly goat,’ since wild goats are well known and wool is well known as an imported product.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀρήν, 6, nom. not in use; the other cases are by syncope apvos (for ἀρένος), ἀρνί, ἄρνα ; plur. ἄρνες, ἀρνῶν, ἀρνάσι, ἄρνας, a sheep, α ἰαπιῦ : Lk. x. 8. (Gen. xxx. 32; Ex. xxiii. 19, ete.; in Grk. writ. fr. Hom. down.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀρήν arēn 1x
a sheep, lamb, Lk. 10:3*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀρήν, ἀρνός, ὁ
(nom, not in use, exc. in early times: v. MM, s.v.), [in LXX for מְרִיא, כֶּבֶשׂ, etc.;]
a lamb: Lk 10:3.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀρήν. Of the nominative of this word (ξαρήν, declined according to the primitive model still normal in Sanskrit, and traced in κύων κυνός, caro carnis, etc.), we have no occurrences except in early times (Attic, Coan and Cretan inscriptions): see Searles, Lexicograthical Study (Chicago, 1808), p- 21. The oblique cases, although there is only one occurrence inthe NT (Lk τοῦ ἄρνας), are by no means obsolete in the Kow#: thus ἀρνός P Tebt I. 1178° (B.c. 99), and even P Lond 125 versu* (magical, v/A.D.) (=I. p. 123) αἵματι ἀ[ρ]νὸς μέλανος ; ἄρνες P Hib I. 32! (B.c, 246) : ἄρν(ασι) P Amh IT. 735 (A.D. 129-30) ; ἄρνας BGU TI. 1338 (ii/a.D.), PSI 40% (a.p. 129), P Oxy I. 742 ete. (a.m, 116) ; PSI 568 (A.p. 107) ἄρνες, and so P Hawara 3228 (Antoninus) (in Archiv v. p. 394). Mayser’s instance from P Magd 214 must be dropped: see the new edition. Aazlel 103858 (Attalia, an oracle of Cybele) ὡ]ς dpva[s] κα[τ]έχουσι λύκοι : ef. Lk 10%. The replacing of this irregular noun by the only formally diminutive ἀρνίον is normal. The distinction in use between this word and ἀμνός seems beyond our power to trace: van Herwerden (s.v. ἀρήν) cites a grammarian who makes this a lamb less than a year old, ἀμνός one over a year.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀρήν (arēn) — lamb. ἀρήν (nominative only in Inscrr., [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; also ἄρης [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; accusative ἄρνα, genitive ἀρνός, dative ἀρνί, dual. ἄρνε: plural ἄρνες, ἄρνας, ἀρνῶν, dative ἀρνάσι[Refs 1st c.AD+]: —lamb (under a year old, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II. sheep of either sex, ἄρν᾽ ἕτερον λευκόν, ἑτέρην δὲ μέλαιναν[Refs 8th c.BC+]
III. in plural, stunted ears of wheat, [Refs 4th c.BC+]. (Sanskrit úrā 'sheep', úraṇas 'ram', 'lamb', urabhras 'ram', Armenian ga[rdot]n 'lamb'; compare -ϝρην in πολύρρην.)