Meanings
plural kenoses
- countableuncountableChristianityChrist's voluntary abasement consisting of humanity and the simultaneous occultation of the Divinity.
1 more example
So then, kenosis is the general way in which God interacts with the world. It is interesting to ponder that the term kenosis is most frequently linked to Christ's voluntary renunciation of certain divine attributes in order to identify himself with mankind, as recorded in the Pauline hymn found in Phil 2:5–11.
2018, Bradford McCall, A Modern Relation of Theology and Science Assisted by Emergence and Kenosis, Wipf and Stock, →ISBN, page 61
Origin
- Ancient Greekκένωσις“emptying”
- Englishkenosis
From Ancient Greek κένωσις (kénōsis, “emptying”) (see keno- and κενό (kenó)), from κενόειν (kenóein, “to empty”) (with reference to Philippians 2.vii, "But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are" – New Jerusalem Version).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek κένωσις
- κένωσις (kénōsis)Christ's voluntary abasement
Greek κένωση
- κένωση (kénosi)Christ's voluntary abasement
Polish kenoza
- kenozaChrist's voluntary abasement
Ukrainian кено́зис
- кено́зис (kenózys)Christ's voluntary abasement
Cite this entry
kenosis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kenosis
“kenosis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kenosis. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kenosis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kenosis.
Source: kenosis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.