Quick Definition
a band, fastening, a ligament
Strong's Definition
probably a ligament (as fastening)
Derivation: from G680 (ἅπτομαι);
KJV Usage: joint
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἁφή, ἁφῆς, ἡ (ἅπτω to fasten together, to fit) (Vu]g.junctura (andnexus)), bond, connection (A. V. joint (see especially Lightfoot on Col. as below)): Eph_4:16; Col_2:19. (Plutarch, Anton c. 27.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἁφή haphē 2x
a fastening; a ligament, by which the different members are connected, commissure, joint, Eph_4:16 ; Col_2:19
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἁφή , -ῆς , ἡ
( <ἅπτω , to fasten, fit ),
[in LXX for H5061 , freq . in Le;]
a joint ( MM , s.v. ): Eph_4:16 , Col_2:19 ( Lft ., in l ).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἁφή [page 96]
For the special sense of kindling see P Tebt T. 88 .12 f. (B.C. 115 4) εἴς τε τὰς θυσίας καὶ λύχνων ἁφῶν , for sacrifices and for the kindling of lamps (cf. λυχναψία , BGU II. 362 i. 1, .12, etc. ); and for the meaning sand or dust as a technical term of the arena see Syll 804 .11 (? ii/A.D.) ἁφῇ πηλώσασθαι (with the editor s note). It is, however, a wholly different connexion with wrestling that is associated with the NT meaning of the word. Dean Robinson (on Eph_4:16 ) has shown how from the ἁφὴ ἄφυκτος with which the wrestler fastened on his opponent ἁφή came to be used of the union of the Democritean atoms, and further of a band or ligament in ancient physiology. Hence in the Pauline usage, the thought is not so much of touch as of fastening the whole body is compacted διὰ πάσης ἁφῆς τῆς ἐπιχορηγίας by every ligament of the whole apparatus ( Eph_4:16 ), which in Col_2:19 is expanded into διὰ τῶν ἁφῶν καὶ συνδέσμων by the ligaments and sinews. A mysterious ἔπαφος occurs in the new Median parchment, P SaΏd Khan 1 a. .26 (B.C. 88) : the assignee of a vineyard is to be fined ἐὰν . . ὀλιγωρήσῃ τὴν ἄμπελον καὶ μὴ ποιήσῃ αὐτὴν ἔπαφον . Can this mean properly tied up the branches being tied to the poles or trees on which they are trained? The adj. will thus be formed from ἐπὶ ἁφαῖς depending on fastenings a formation well paralleled in Hellenistic.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
ἁφή [Etym: ἅπτω] "a lighting, kindling", περὶ λύχνων ἁφάς about lamp- "lighting" time, Hdt. （ἅπτομαι) "a touching, touch", Aesch. : "the sense of touch", Plat. , etc.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
ἁφή, -ῆς, ἡ
(ἅπτω, to fasten, fit), [in LXX for נֶגַע, frequently in Le ;]
a joint (MM, see word): Eph.4:16, Col.2:19 (Lft., in l).†
(AS)