Quick Definition
αὔξησις, εως, ἡ n.f. increasing, increase, growth
Strong's Definition
growth
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -εως | αὐξάνω
23.188 · Physiological Processes and States · Grow, Growth
to grow, growth to grow, to increase in size, whether of animate beings or of plants In a number of languages one must make a clear distinction in the choice of terms referring to the growth of an animate being (animal or human) and the growth of plants
In COL 2:19 αὔξησις is used figuratively in the sense that the reference of ‘body’ is the church rather than a physical body. Normally a term for ‘growth’ would imply not only size but also number, that is to say, the growth of the church would be in terms of the increase of members of the church, though it might refer to spiritual maturity. In some instances, however, it may be necessary to specify ‘growth in numbers’ so as to avoid the implication which might be derived from the context, namely, that the church is simply a building which gets bigger and bigger.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
αὔξησις, -ews, ἡ. (αὔξω), increase, growth: Eph. iv. 16; τοῦ θεοῦ, effected by God, Col. ii. 19; cf. Meyer ad lvoe. ({Hat.], Thue., Xen., Plat., and subseq. writ.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
αὔξησις auxēsis 2x
increase, growth, Eph. 4:16; Col. 2:19*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** αὔξησις, -εως, ἡ
(< αὔξω), [in LXX: II Mac 5:16*;]
increase, growth: Eph 4:16, Col 2:19.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
αὔξησις. Chrest. Τ. 70" (an inscr. of B.c. 57-) τούτου πρὸς αὔξησιν ἀγομένου, of a temple for which the priests ask the privilege of ἀσυλία.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
αὔξησις (auxēsis) — growth. αὔξ-ησις, εως, ἡ, growth, increase, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the Delta, [Refs 5th c.BC+], increments, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; multiplications, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
2. amplification, in Rhet., [Refs 4th c.BC+]
3. Grammars, the augment, [Refs]