Mote

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Κάρφος (Strong'S #2595 — Noun Neuter — karphos — kar'-fos )

"a small, dry stalk, a twig, a bit of dried stick" (from karpho, "to dry up"), or "a tiny straw or bit of wool," such as might fly into the eye, is used metaphorically of a minor fault,  Matthew 7:3,4,5;  Luke 6:41,42 (twice), in contrast with dokos, "a beam supporting the roof of a building" (see BEAM). In the Sept.,   Genesis 8:11 .

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) A body of persons who meet for discussion, esp. about the management of affairs; as, a folkmote.

(2): ( v.) See 1st Mot.

(3): ( n.) A meeting of persons for discussion; as, a wardmote in the city of London.

(4): of Mot

(5): ( n.) A place of meeting for discussion.

(6): ( n.) The flourish sounded on a horn by a huntsman. See Mot, n., 3, and Mort.

(7): ( n.) A small particle, as of floating dust; anything proverbially small; a speck.

(8): of Mot

(9): ( pres. subj.) of Mot

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

MOTE . The word chosen by Wyclif and Tindale, and accepted by all the subsequent versions as the tr. [Note: translate or translation.] of Gr. karphos in   Matthew 7:3-5 ,   Luke 6:41-42 bis . The root of karphos is karphô ‘to dry up,’ and it signifies a bit of dried stick, straw, or wool, such as, in the illustration, might be flying about and enter the eye. In its minuteness it is contrasted by our Lord with dokos , the beam that supports ( dechomai ) the roof of a building.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Any small particle or splinter. It is used to illustrate small failings in contrast to larger faults, called 'beams.' The Lord Jesus was exposing the hypocrisy of those who see and magnify small faults in others, and pass over greater ones in themselves,  Matthew 7:3-5;  Luke 6:41,42 .

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Matthew 7:3 (b) This word describes what may be a very small and inconsiderate flaw in the life of another person, whereas the critic may have faults and flaws far greater than in the one he observes and criticizes. The mote is in the flaw in the other person's life, while the beam is the flaw in our own lives.

King James Dictionary

MOTE, in folkmote, &c. signifies a meeting.

MOTE, n. A small particle any thing proverbially small a spot.

Why beholdest thou the mote in thy brother's eye?  Matthew 7

The little motes in the sun do ever stir, though there is no wind.

MOTE, for mought, might or must, obsolete.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Matthew 7:3-5 Luke 6:41,42

Holman Bible Dictionary

karphos   Matthew 7:3-5

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

MOTE. —See Beam and Mote.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Κάρφος , something Dry), any small dry particle, as of chaff, wood, etc. ( Matthew 7:3-5;  Luke 6:41-42). Small faults or errors in others, discovered through the magnifying medium of prejudice, are likened by our Lord in these passages to a speck or splinter in the eye, which the censorious are fond of detecting, though guilty of more serious offences themselves, aptly compared to a beam ( Δοκός ) (see Winckler, in Animadvers. Philol. 3:803 sq.). The proverb was a familiar one with-the Hebrews (see Buxtorf, Lex. Rabb. col. 2080). (See Eye).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mōt ( κάρφος , kárphos ): A minute piece of anything dry or light, as straw, chaff, a splinter of wood, that might enter the eye. Used by Jesus in   Matthew 7:3 ff;   Luke 6:41 in contrast with "beam," to rebuke officiousness in correcting small faults of others, while cherishing greater ones of our own.