Greek word · Strong's G3439

μονογενής

monogenḗs · adjective · “only, one and only”

In a sentence

Monogenēs means “one and only” — used famously of Jesus as God’s “only begotten Son.” It stresses his unique, unrepeatable sonship.

Monogenēs combines “one” (mono-) with “kind/born” (gen-). It does not stress birth so much as uniqueness — the only one of its kind. John uses it four times of Jesus.

When John writes that God gave his monogenēs Son, he is saying Jesus is not one Son among many but uniquely the Son — fully God’s, fully unique, fully given. There is no second.

Strong's reference

Definition: only-born, i.e. sole

KJV usage: only (begotten, child)

Reference gloss from Strong's Concordance (1890, public domain).

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 1 John 4:9 “This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.”

Original BibleDawn word study. Original-language data and the public-domain Strong's (1890) gloss are referenced; see sources.