The Greek equivalent to the Aramaic "Canaanite" (a corrupted form for Cananoean);. "Zealot" applied to Simon (Luk_6:15; Mat_10:4).
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.
Zelo'tes. The epithet given to the apostle, Simon, to distinguish him from Simon Peter. Luk_6:15. See Canaanite, The; Simon, 5.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863
zḗ-lō?tēz (Ζηλωτής, Zēlōtḗs). See SIMON THE ZEALOT; ZEALOT, ZEALTOS.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.
(Ζηλωτής), an epithet of the apostle Simon (Luk_6:15; Act_1:13) to distinguish him from Simon Peter. In the parallel lists of Mat_10:4; Mark 3:18, he is called Simon the Cananite (Κανανίτης, A. V. erroneously Canaanite), this being a transliteration of the Heb. or Aramaean קִנְאָן, zeal, of which the Greek title is a translation. The word denotes a zealot in' general (1Co_14:12; Tit_2:14; 1Pe_3:13), especially in behalf of Jewish law and institutions (Act_21:20; Act_22:3; Gal_1:14). Probably there were already extant in the time of Christ, when this epithet was given to Simon, the germs of the sect or party afterwards thus designated, the members of which professed great attachment to Judaism, and, under pretext of punishing by informal trial and execution those guilty of infringing the observances of the national religion, perpetrated great excesses (Josephus, War, 4:3, 9; 5, 1, 4; 6:3; 7:8, 1). SEE SIMON.
CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.