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Logos

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The divine Word or ordering principle through which creation and life come into being.

Detailed Definition
Logos is central to the opening of John's Gospel, where the Word exists with God, is divine, and enters the world in embodied form. For poetry, it joins speech, reason, pattern, and creative energy. The term can suggest that language is not decoration but a force that calls reality into shape, while also warning that words may become flesh, history, and responsibility. It is valuable in poems about beginnings, revelation, incarnation, and the strange power of naming.
Example
Example in poetry:
Logos can mean the divine Word, reason, or the ordering principle of creation; “Before the stars, Logos spoke the dark into pattern” uses the term in its theological sense; A poet may contrast Logos with silence, instinct, or chaos; Invoking Logos can suggest that language is not merely descriptive but a creative force that shapes reality
Additional Notes
Logos is a Greek term meaning “word,” “reason,” or ordering principle. In the opening of John’s Gospel, the Logos is divine and connected with creation, life, and the incarnation of Christ. In poetry, it may suggest speech that creates reality, cosmic order, wisdom, meaning, or the tension between language and silence.
Other Meanings of “Logos”
Also Known As
Word Divine Word Word of God
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