Hebrew language for readers of english

אֵֽלֶם m.n. dumbness, muteness, silence (occurring in the Bible only Ps. 56:1 and 58:2). [Derived from אלם^II.]

אַלָּם m.n. pbh violent person, terrorist. [From Aram. אַלִּים (= strong, violent). See אלם^III.]

אַלְמֹג, אַלְמוֹג (also אַלֽגֹּם) m.n. (pl. אַלֽמֻגִּים, resp. אַלְמוּגִים, also אַלְגֻמִּים) 1 a tree mentioned in the Bible, prob. the sandalwood. 2 nh coral. [Of uncertain origin. cp. Ugar. ’lmg (= name of a kind of tree).]

אֲלֻמָּה f.n. (pl. אֲלֻמִּים, also אֲלֻמּוֹת) sheaf, bundle. [Formed from אלם^I with first suff. □ָה.]

אַלְמוֹן, אַלְמֹן m.n. widowhood (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Is. 47:9). [Back formation from אֵלְמָנָה. cp. Ugar. ’lmn.]

אִלְמוּן m.n. nh widowing. [Verbal n. of אִלְמֵן. See אלמן.

אִלָּמוֹן m.n. nh dumbness, muteness. [Formed from אִלֵּם (= dumb) with suff. □וֹן.]

אַלְמוֹנִי adj. someone, uncertain, anonymous, unnamed (in the Bible always used in the phrase פְּלוֹנִי אַלֽמוֹנִי, ‘an unknown man’, ‘a certain man’). [Prob. derived from אלם^II and properly meaning ‘one whose name is unknown’.] Derivative: אַלְמוֹנִיּוּת.

אַלְמוֹנִיּוּת f.n. nh namelessness, anonymity. [Formed from אַלְמוֹנִי with suff. □וּת.]

אִלְּמוּת f.n. mh dumbness, muteness. [Formed from אִלֵּם (= dumb), Pi. of אלם, with suff. □וּת.]

אַלְמָֽוֶת m.n. 1 deathlessness, immortality. 2 nh paronychia (plant). 3 immortal. [Orig. spelled אַל־מָוֶת (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Pr. 12:28). Formed from pref. אַל□ (= not) and מָוֶת (= death).] Derivative: אַלְמוֹתִי.

אַלְמוֹתִי adj. nh deathless, immortal. [Formed from אַלֽמָוֶת with suff. □ִי.]

אַלְמֵימָה f.n. nh anhydride. [Coined from אַל□ (= not) and מֵימָה (= hydrate).]

אַלְמֵימָר m.n. mh almemar. [Arab. alminbar (= the pulpit), from al- (= the), and minbar, which orig. denoted ‘an (elevated) seat’, and is a loan word from Ethiop. minbar (= seat). This latter derives from Ethiop. nabára (= he was sitting), which is related to Arab. nábara (= he raised, elevated). For sense development cp. Arab. jalasa (= he sat down, was sitting), julūs (= sitting, sitting down, accession to the throne).]

אִלְמָלֵי, אִלְמָלֵא adv. pbh 1 if (mostly before a verb). 2 if not, were it not for (mostly before a noun). [According to Barth, compounded of אִלְמָ־לֵי, which corresponds exactly to Arab. ’immālā (= would that), having been formed from immā-lē, in whose first element the first m was assimilated to the l of the second element -lē; this latter element itself prob. related to the first element in Arab. lay-ta (= would that).]

אַלְמָן m.n. widower (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Jer. 51:5). [Back formation from אַלֽמָנָה. cp. Aram. אַרֽמְלָא, Syr. אַרֽמָלָא, Arab. armal (= widower).] Derivative: אלמן.

אַלְמֹן see אַלֽמוֹן.

אלמן to reduce to widowhood. [Denominated from אַלְמָנָה, resp. אַלֽמָן.] — Pi. אִלְמֵן tr. v. pbh he reduced to widowhood; widowed. — Hith. הִתְאַלְמֵן. — Nith. נִתֽאַלֽמֵן pbh he became a widower. Derivatives: אִלְמוּן, הִתֽאַלְמְנוּת.

אַלְמָנָה m.n. widow. [Related to Phoen. אלמת, Ugar. ’lmnt, Akka. almattu, Aram.-Syr. אַרֽמַלֽתָּא, Arab. ’armala^h (= widow). Of uncertain etymology. Barth derives these words from base רמל, whence also Arab. murmil, armal (= needy, helpless). Nöldeke and Ružička connect them with Arab. ’alima (= he felt pain).] Derivatives: אַלְמָן, אַלְמוֹן, אלמן, אַלֽמָנוּת.

אַלְמָנוּת f.n. widowhood. [Formed from אַלְמָנָה with suff. □וּת. Since the word derives from אַלְמָנָה, the correct form is אַלְמָנוּת and not אַלֽמְנוּת, as Even Shoshan and most other lexicographers would have it. See אַלֽמֽלוּת. For the form cp. פַּלָּצוּת. cp. also מַלְאָכוּת, מַמֽלָכוּת.]

אֶלֶמֶנְט m.n. nh element. [Ultimately from L. elementum. Of the many etymologies suggested, the most probable is that which derives the word elementum from elpantum (= ivory letter), an ancient Latin loan word from Gk. Elephanta, accusative elephas (= elephant; ivory). The change of elepantum to elementum is prob. due to Etruscan influence. See ‘elephant’ in my cedel and cp. פִּיל.] Derivative: אֶלֶמֶנְטָרִי.

אֶלֶמֶנְטָרִי adj. fw elementary. [From אֶלֶמֶנְט. For the ending see adj. suff. ‘-ary’ in my cedel.) Derivative: אֶלֶמֶנְטָרִיּוּת.

אֶלֶמֶנְטָרִיּוּת f.n. elementariness. [Formed [[pg-32]]from אֶלֶמֶנְטָרִי with suff. □וּת.]

אַלְמָנָךְ m.n. mh almanac. [Med. L. almanachus, from Gk. almenichiaka (= calendars), which is prob. of Coptic origin; prob. influenced in form by a confusion with Arab. al-manāḥ (= the gift). Sp.-Arab. al-manāḥ (= the almanac) is itself a loan word from Med. L. almanachus.]

אַלְמַתֶּכֶת f.n. nh non-metal. [Coined from אַל□ (= not), and מַתֶּכֶת (= metal).] Derivative: אַלֽמַתַּכְתִּי.

אַלְמַתַּכְתִּי adj. nh non-metallic. [Formed from אַלְמַתֶּכֶת with suff. □ִי.]

אֲלֻנְטִית see אֲלוּנֽטִית.

אֲלֻנְקַאי see אֲלוּנֽקַאי.

אֲלֻנְקָה see אֲלוּנֽקָה.

אַלְסוֹף m.n. nh endlessness; the infinite. [Formed from אַל□ (= not), and סוֹף (= end). Derivative: אַלְסוֹפִי.

אַלְסוֹפִי adj. nh endless, infinite. [Formed from אַלֽסוֹף with suff. □ִי.]

אֶלַסְטִי adj. nh elastic. [Modern L. elasticus, from Gk. elastikos, from elan (= to drive, strike). cp. ‘elasmo-’ in my cedel and words there referred to.] Derivative: אֶלַסְטִיּוּת.

אֶלַסְטִיּוּת f.n. nh elasticity. [Formed from אֶלַסְטִי with suff. □וּת.]

אִלְסָר m.n. pbh hazelnut. [From Aram.-Syr. אִלְסָרָא, which is of unknown origin.]

אלף^I a base prob. meaning orig. ‘to be linked together, be connected’. [cp. Akka. ulāpu (= band), elippu (= ship), whence arose the meanings ‘to join, be familiar with’. Related to Arab. alifa, wālafa (= was acquainted with, was familiar with, was accustomed to, learned), Aram. אֲלַף, יְלֵף, Syr. יֽלֵף (= he learned), Ugar. ’lp (= confederates).] — Qal אָלַף he learned (in the Bible occurring only on the imp. תֶּאְלַף). — Pi. אִלֵּף 1 he trained, taught; 2 nh he tamed, domesticated. — Pu. אֻלַּף nh 1 was trained, was taught; 2 was tamed, was domesticated. Derivatives: אַלּוּף^III, אִלּוּף, אֻלְפָּן, מְאַלֵּף, מֽאֻלָּף, prob. also אֶלֶף^I and אֶלֶף^II.

אלף^II to bring forth thousands. [Denominated from אֶלֶף^I (= thousand).] — Hiph. הֶאֱלִיף brought forth thousands (in the Bible a hapax legomenon occurring Ps. 144:18).

אֶֽלֶף^I m.n. thousand. [Related to Moabite אלף, BAram. אֲלַף, אַלְפָּא, Aram. אַלַף, אַלְפָּא, Ugar. ’lp, Arab. alf (= one thousand), Ethiop. Tigre, Amharic ’elf (= ten thousand). All these words prob. derive from אלף and orig. denoted ‘group, crowd’. cp. אלף^II, אֶלֶף^II, אֶלֶף^III, אַלֽפִּית.]

אֶֽלֶף^II m.n. (used only in the pl.) oxen, bullocks, cows, cattle. [cp. Phoen. אלף, Ugar. ’lp, Akka. alpu (= cattle). These words are perhaps derivatives of אלף^I and orig. meant ‘tamed animals’. cp. אַלּוּף^VI. cp. also אָלֶף.]

אֶֽלֶף^III m.n. part of a tribe. [Prob. a derivative of אֶלֶף (= a thousand), and orig. meaning ‘part of a tribe consisting of a thousand people’. For sense development cp. Akka. li’mu (= a thousand), which is prob. related to Heb. לְאֹם (= people).]

אָֽלֶף f.n. pbh (pl. אַלְפִין) ‘aleph’ — name of the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. [Pausal form of אֶלֶף (= ox; see אֶלֶף^II); so called in allusion to the ancient Hebrew form of this letter, representing the head of an ox. cp. אַלְפָא^I, אַלְפָא^II. cp. also the first element in אָלֶף־בֵּית.] Derivative: אַלְפוֹן.

אַלְפָא^I f.n. pbh name of the letter אָלֶף in Aram. [See אָלֶף.]

אַלְפָא^II f.n. pbh (pl. אַלֽפִין) alpha. [Aram., from Gk. alpha, from Heb. אָלֶף (cp. Syr. אַלֽפָא). The final a was added because a Greek word cannot end with a ph. cp. ‘alpha’ in my cedel.]

אָלֶף־בֵּית, אָלֶפְבֵּית m.n. pbh, resp. nh alphabet. [Compounded of אָלֶף and בֵּיּת.] Derivative: אָלֶפְבֵּיתִי.

אָלֶפְבֵּיתִי adj. nh alphabetic, alphabetical. [Formed from אָלֶפֽבֵּית with suff. □ִי.]

אִלְפָּה f.n. 1 pbh boat. 2 nh launch. [From Aram. אִילְפָא.]

אַלְפוֹן m.n. nh a child’s primer, an ABC book. [Formed from אָלֶף with suff. □וֹן.]

אַלְפַּֽים m.n. two thousand. [Dual of אֶלֶף (= a thousand).]

אַלְפִּינִי adj. fw Alpine. [Formed with suff. □ִי from L. Alpīnus, from Alpēs (= the Alps); lit.: ‘the High Mountains’), from non-Aryan base ^*alb- (= high; mountain), whence also Gaelic alp, Welsh ailp (= a high mountain).] Derivative: אַלֽפִּינִיסֽט.

אַלְפִּינִיסְט m.n. fw Alpinist. [Formed from אַלְפִּינִי and □ִיסֽט.]

אַלְפִּית f.n. nh one thousandth, a thousandth part. [Formed from אֶלֶף^I (= a thousand) with dimin. suff. □ִית.]

אֻלְפָּן m.n. 1 pbh teaching, instruction. 2 nh ‘ulpan’ — a school for the intensive study of Hebrew. [Aram. אֻלֽפָּן, אֻלֽפָּנָא (= teaching, instruction), from אֲלַף (= he learned), אַלֵּף (= he trained, taught, instructed). See אלף^I.] Derivative: אֻלֽפָּנִית.

אֻלְפָּנִית f.n. nh a small ‘ulpan’ (see אֻלְפָּן), i.e. a school using shorter courses for learning Hebrew. [Formed from אֻלֽפָּן with dimin. suff. □ִית.]

אִלְפָּס m.n. pbh pan. [Formed with prosthetic אִ□ from Gk. lopas (= a flat dish, plate), which is related to lopos (= shell, husk, bark, peel), lepis (= scale, husk, shell), lepain (= to strip off the rind or husks; peel, bark), from ie base ^*lep- (= to peel, scale). For further derivatives of this base see ‘leper’ in my cedel.]

אֶלִּפְּסָה see אֶלִּיפְּסָה.

אֶלִּפְּסוֹאִיד see אֶלִּיפְּסוֹאִיד.

אֶלִּפְּסִי see אֶלִּיפְּסִי.

אלץ to be narrow, to urge. [Syr. אֱלַץ (= he pressed), JAram. אוּלֽצָנָא (= trouble, distress), Mand. אליצא (= narrow), הלאצא (= torment, torture). cp. Akka. shūluṣu (= to close).] — Niph. נֶאֱלַץ nh was compelled, was forced. — Pi. אִלֵּץ he urged, compelled, forced. — Pu. אֻלַּץ mh was compelled, was forced. Derivatives: אָלוּץ, אִלּוּץ, הֵאָלְצוּת, מְאֻלָּץ, נֶאֱלָץ.

אַלְקוּם m.n. no rising up (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Pr. 30:31 in the phrase וּמֶלֶךְ אַלֽקוּם עִמּוֹ, which is usually rendered by ‘and the king against whom there is no rising up’). [Of uncertain origin; possibly a compound of אַל□ (= not), and קוּם (= to rise; rising).]

אַלְקוּרָאן see אַלְקֻרָאן.

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹד m.n. fw electrode (physics). [Eng. electrode, coined by the English physicist and chemist Michael Faraday (1791–1867) from Gk. elektron (see אֶלֶקֽטֽרוֹן), and odos (= way), for whose etymology see מֶתּוֹדָה.]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹדִינָמִיקָה f.n. fw electrodynamics. [Compounded of Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקֽטֽרִי) and dynamis (= might; see דִינָמִיקָה).]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹמַגְנֶט m.n. fw electromagnet. [Compounded of Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקְטְרִי), and Magnetis lithos (= stone from magnesia; see מַגְנֶט.]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹמֶטֶר m.n. fw electrometer. [Compounded of Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקֽטְרִי), and metron (= measure; see מֶטֶר).]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹן m.n. fw electron. [Modern L. ēlectron, from Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקְטֽרִי).] Derivative: אֶלֶקְטֽרוֹנִי.

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹנִי adj. fw electronic. [Formed from אֶלֶקֽטְרוֹן with suff. □ִי.]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹנִיקָה f.n. fw electronics. [From אֶלֶקְטְרוֹן.]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹסְטָטִיקָה f.n. fw electrostatics. [Compounded of Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקְטְרִי), and statike techne (= the art of weighing; see סְטָטִיקָה).]

אֶלֶקְטֽרוֹסְקוֹפּ m.n. fw electroscope. [Compounded of Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקֽטֽרִי) and -skopion, [[pg-33]]from skopein (= to look at, examine; see □סֽקוֹפּ).]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹקַרְדְּיוֹגְרַמָּה f.n. fw electrocardiogram. [Compounded of Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקְטְרִי), and קַרְדֽיוֹגֽרַמָּה (= cardiogram), (q.v.).]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹקַרְדְּיוֹגְרָף m.n. fw electrocardiograph. [See אֶלֶקְטֽרוֹקַרְדְּיוֹגְרַמָּה and קַרֽדְּיוֹגֽרָף.]

אֶלֶקְטְרוֹתֶּרַפְּיָה f.n. fw electrotherapy. [Compounded of Gk. elektron (= amber; see אֶלֶקֽטְרִי), and תֶּרַפְּיָה (= therapy).]

אֶלֶקְטְרִי adj. fw electric. [Back formation from Modern L. ēlectricus, which was coined by the English physicist William Gilbert in 1600 to denote substances which share the quality of amber (inasmuch as they attract other substances when rubbed), from L. ēlectrum (= amber), from Gk. elektron (of s.m.), which is related to elektor (= the beaming sun), and possibly cogn. with Old I. ulka (= fireband, meteor). For the ending of אֶלֶקֽטְרִי see suff. □ִי.] Derivative: אֶלֶקְטְרִיּוּת.

אֶלֶקְטְרִיּוּת f.n. fw electricity. [Formed from אֶלֶקֽטְרִי with suff. □וּת.]

אַלְקָלִי m.n. fw alkali. [Fren. alcalli (now spelled alcali), from Arab. alqilyy, from al- (= the), and qiliyy (= charred ashes of the saltwort), from qalā(y) (= fired, roasted), which is related to Heb. קָלָה^I (= he roasted, parched).]

אַלְקֻרְאָן m.n. fw the Koran. [Arab. alqur’ān, from al (= the) and qur’ān (see קֻרְאָן).]

אַלֶּרְגִּי adj. fw allergic. [Back formation from אַלֶּרֽגְּיָה. For the ending see suff. □ִי.]

אַלֶּרְגְּיָה f.n. fw allergy. [Modern L. allergia, coined about 1905 by Clemens von Pirquet, an Austrian pediatrist, from Gk. allos (= another), and ergon (= work). See אַלֶּגוֹרֽיָה and אֶרְג and cp. אֶנֶרְגְּיָה.]

אַלְשֵׁנִי adj. fw second to none. [Coined from אַל□ (= not), and שֵׁנִי (= second).]

אִלְתּוּר m.n. nh improvisation, extemporization. [Verbal n. of אִלֽתֵּר. See אלתר.]

אִלְתִּית f.n. pbh a fish mentioned in the Mishnah, usually identified with the salmon. [Of unknown origin.]

(לְ)אַלְתַּר adv. pbh on the spot, at once. [Aram., contraction of אַל־אֲתַר (= אֲתַר עַל), lit.: ‘on the place’ (see עַל and אֲתַר). For sense development cp. Eng. on the spot, Fren. sur-le-champ, Ger. auf der Stelle.] Derivative: אלתר.