Hebrew language for readers of english

אלתר to improvise, extemporize. [Formed from אַלֽתַּר.] — Pi. אִלֽתֵּר tr. v. nh he improvised, extemporized. — Pu. אֻלֽתַּר nh was improvised, was extemporized. Derivatives: אִלְתּוּר, אַלֽתּֽרָן, מֽאֻלְתָּר.

אַלְתְּרָן m.n. nh improvisor, improvisator. [Formed from אִלֽתֵּר (see אלתר) with agential suff. □ָן.]

אֵם f.n. (pl. אִמּוֹת, in pbh אִמָּהוֹת) 1 mother. 2 matriarch. 3 metropolis, large city. 4 pbh womb. [Related to Aram. אֵם, אִמָּא, Syr. אֵם, אֶמָּא, Arab. imm, umm, Ugar. ’u̧m, Ethiop. ’em, Akka. ummu (= mother). These words prob. go back to emm(a), umm(a), a child’s word for ‘mother’. cp. אִמָּא, אִמָּה, אִמָּהוּת, אִמָּהִי and first element in אַמְנוּן. cp. also אם^II. Like אָב (= father) אֵם also prob. derives from child’s word.]

אִם conj. if, whether, when, on condition. [Related to Aram. אִין, Syr. ’en, BAram. ’im, Arab. ’in, SArab. הם, and prob. to Ethiop. ’emma (= if). cp. הֵן^III. cp. also אִי^V and אֶלָּא.]

אֹם^I m.n. (pl. אֻמִּים) nation, people. [A collateral form of אֻמָּה. cp. the second element in בּנאם and in חַגְאֹם.]

אֹם^II m.n. nh (pl. אֻמִּים) screw nut, nut. [The same as אֵם (= mother). cp. Eng. ‘female screw-nut’.]

אִמָּא f.n. pbh mother, mama, mummy. [Aram. ‘the mother, my mother’, emphatic state of אֵם (= mother). See אֵם.]

אַמַּאי adv. pbh why. [Aram., formed from אַ□ (= עַל, on, upon), and מַאי (= what). See עַל and מַאי.]

אֲמֶבָּה f.n. fw amoeba. [Gk. amoibe (= change), related to ameibein (= to change), from copulative, pref. a- and ie base ^*meig^w-, ^*mig^w- (= to change), whenœ also L. migrāre (= to wander). Copulative pref. a- stands for ie ^*sm-, a weak gradational form of ie base ^*sem- (= one, together). See ‘same’ and ‘migrate’ in my cedel.]

אִמְבּוּט m.n. nh giving (somebody) a bath. [Verbal n. of אִמְבֵּט. See אמבט.]

אַמְבּוּלַנְס m.n. fw ambulance. [Fren. from earlier hôpital ambulant (lit.: ‘a walking hospital’), from L. ambulāns, pres. part. of ambulāre (= to go about, walk), which prob. stands for ^*amb-alāre, from amb- (= both), and ^*al- (= to go), whence also Gk. ale (= ceaseless roaming), alasthai, alainein (= to wander about), L. alūcinārī (= to wander in mind). See ‘hallucinate’ in my cedel.)

אַמְבָּט, אַמְבָּטִי m.n. pbh bath, bathtub. [Borrowed from Gk. embate (of s.m.), from embatein (= to go into), from en (= in) and bainein (= to go).] Derivatives: אמבט, אַמְבַּטֽיָה.

אמבט to bathe. [Denominated from אַמְבָּט.] — Pi. אִמְבֵּט tr. v. nh he bathed, gave (somebody) a bath. — Pu. אֻמְבַּט nh was bathed, was given a bath. — Hith. הִתְאַמְבֵּט nh he took a bath. Derivative: אִמְבּוּט.

אַמְבַּטְיָה f.n. nh bathroom. [Formed from אַמְבָּט with first suff. □ָה.]

אַמְבִּיצְיָה f.n. fw ambition. [Fren. ambition, from L. ambitiō (= a going round, esp. ‘a going round of candidates canvassing for office’), whence ‘a desire for honor’, from ambītus, p. part. of ambīre (= to go round), which is compounded of ambi (= about, around), and īre (= to go). See אִינִיצְיָאטוֹר and cp. אַנֽדַּנְטֶה.]

אַמְבַּסָּדוֹר m.n. fw ambassador. [Fren. ambassadeur, from It. ambasciatore, from ambasciata (= embase[[illegible]]), from Old Provençal ambaissada,[[illegible]] (whence also Sp. embajada), from ambaisa (= service), which is a Teutonic loan word. See ‘embassy’ in my cedel.]

אַמְבָּר m.n. pbh granary, storehouse. [Aram. אַמֽבְּרָא, Syr. אַמֽבּֽרָא, from Pers. anbār, Arab. anbā́r is also Pers. loan word.]

אֶמְבֵּרְגּוֹ m.n. fw embargo. [Sp. embargo (= seizure, embargo), from embargar (= to restrain, seize, embargo), from Vulgar L. imbarricāre (= to impede), formed from im- (= in; see first ‘im-’ in my cedel), and VL barra (= bar, barrier), a word of Gaulish origin. cp. ‘bar’ (= rod of metal) in my cedel and cp. ‘embarrass’ ibid.]

אַמְגּוּשׁ m.n. pbh 1 Magus (Persian priest). 2 magician. [Aram. אַמְגּוּשָׁא, from Old Pers. Magush, whence also Arab. majū́s, Gk. magos (= Magus, Magian, magician). The אַ in אַמְגּוּשָׁא is prosthetic. cp. מָגוֹשׁ.]

אמד^I to estimate, calculate, reckon. [Aram. אֲמַד (= he estimated, appraised, assessed). According to E.Y. Kutscher, אָמַד is a loan word borrowed during the Babylonian captivity from Akka. emēdu (= to stand, lean against; to place, lean something upon or against something, load, impose taxes or fines) (for the etymology of this word see עמד^II); whence the noun emettu (= tax, fines). Other scholars connect Heb. אָמַד with Arab. ’amata (= he surmised, conjectured, guessed). cp. אָמוֹדַאי. cp. also עמד^II.] — Qal אָמַד tr. v. & intr. v. pbh he estimated, made a rough estimate, assessed, appraised, valued, reckoned, conjectured, guessed. — Niph. נֶאֱמַד mh was estimated, was assessed, was appraised, was valued. — Hiph. הֶאֱמִיד pbh he estimated, conjectured, guessed. — Hoph. הָאֳמַד nh was estimated. Derivatives: אֹמֶד, אֻמֽדָן, אָמוּד, אָמִיד, אֲמִידָה, הַאֲמָדָה.

[[pg-34]]אמד^II to make well-to-do. [Denominated from אָמִיד.] — Hith. הִתְאַמֵּד nh he became well-to-do.

אְֹמֶד, אֽוֹמֶד m.n. pbh estimation, estimate, assessment, appraisal, valuation, reckoning. [From אמד. Cp. אֻמְדָּן. Cp. also עֹמֶד^II.]

אֻמְדָּן, אוּמְדָן m.n. pbh (pl. אֻמְדָּנִים, also אֻמְדָּנוֹת) estimation, estimate, assessment. [Formed from אמד with suff. □ָן. cp. Aram. אוּמְדָּנָא.]

אֻמְדָּנָה, אוּמְדָנָה f.n. pbh estimation, estimate, assessment. [Aram. אוּמְדָּנָא. See אֻמְדָּן.]

אָמָה f.n. (pl. אֲמָהוֹת) maidservant, handmaid, female slave. [Related to Phoen. אמת. Aram.-Syr. אַמְתָא. Ugar. a̧mt, Arab. ’amah, Ethiop. ’amat, Akka. amtu (= handmaid, female slave).]

אַמָּה^I f.n. (dual אַמָּתַיִם, pl. אַמּוֹת) ell, cubit. [Related to Aram. אַמָּא, אַמְּתָא, Syr. אַמּֽתָא, Ugar. a̧mt, Ethiop. ’emmat, Akka. ammatu (= ell, cubit).] Derivatives: אַמָּה^II, אַמָּה^III, אַמָּת. cp. אַמָּה^IV.

אַמָּה^II f.n. pbh 1 middle finger. 2 penis. [From אַמָּה^I.]

אַמָּה^III f.n. pbh canal, sewer. [From אַמָּה^I.]

אַמָּה^IV f.n. (in אַמּוֹת הַסִּפִּים (= a hapax legomenon, occurring Is. 6:4 and prob. meaning ‘doorposts’). [Prob. related to Akka. ammatu^ll (= foundation, doorpost), and orig. identical with Akka. ammatu^l (= אַמָּה. ell, cubit). For sense development cp. Arab. ’iḍāda^h (= doorpost), which is related to ’iḍdad (= upper arm).]

אִמָּה f.n. nh matrix (printing). [Formed from אֵם (= mother), with first suff. □ָה; properly loan translation of L. matrix (= womb, matrix, source, origin), which derives from mater (= mother).]

אֻמָּה f.n. clan, tribe, nation, people. [Related to BAram. אֻמָּה, Syr. ’umpā́, Ugar. u̧mt, Arab. ’ummá^h, Akka. ummātu. These words are usually derived from אמם, a base of uncertain origin.]

אַמְהוּת f.n. pbh condition of a maid-servant or handmaid. [Formed from אָמָה with suff. □וּת.]

אֲמָהוֹת f.n. pl. handmaids, slaves. [Pl. of אָמָה.]

אִמָּהוֹת f.n. pl. 1 pbh matriarchs. 2 nh matrices (printing). [Pl. of אֵם, resp. אִמָּה.]

אִמָּהוּת f.n. nh motherhood, maternity. [Formed from אֵם (= mother; pl. אִמָּהוֹת), with suff. □וּת.]

אִמָּהִי adj. nh motherly, maternal. [Formed from אֵם (= mother; pl. אִמָּהוֹת), with suff. □ִי.]

אֶמוּ m.n. fw emu. [From Moluccan eme, through the medium of Portuguese ema, shortened from ema di gei (= crane of the ground); so called because the emu cannot fly.]

אָמוּד adj. mh estimated. [Pass. part. of אָמַד. See אמד^I.]

אִמּוּד m.n. nh estimation, estimate. [Verbal n. of אִמֵּד, Pi. of אמד^I.]

אָמוֹדָאוּת f.n. nh diving. [Formed from אָמוֹדַאי with suff. □וּת.]

אָמוֹדַאי m.n. nh diver. [Aram., prob. meaning lit. ‘one who estimates or appraises the depths’, and deriving from אֲמַד (= he estimated, appraised, assessed). See אמד^I and suff. □ַאי.]

אָמוּל adj. weak, unhappy, wretched (a hapax legomenon in the Bible, occurring Ezek. 16:30 in the f. form אֲמֻלָּה). [Pass. part. Qal of אמל^I.]

אִמּוּל m.n. fw enamelling. [Verbal n. of אִמֵּל, Pi. of אמל^II.]

אֶמוּלְסְיָה f.n. fw emulsion. [Modern L. ēmulsiō, from L. ēmulsus, p. part. ēmulgēre (= to milk out, drain out), from ē (= out of), and mulgēre (= to milk; which derives from ie base ^*melĝ- (= to press out, wipe of milk), whence also Gk. amelgein (= to milk), etc. For the ending see suff. □יָה.]

אִמּוּם m.n. pbh 1 model. 2 last (of a shoe). [Together with Syr. אַמּוּמָא prob. borrowed from Arab. ’imām (= leader, leader in prayer; model), which derives from ’amma (= he was in front, led the way, preceded). cp. אִימָם.]

אָמוֹן^I m.n. craftsman, artisan. [Prob. borrowed from Akka. ummānu, (of s.m.) (whence also Heb. אָמָּן), which itself is a Sumerian loan word.]

אָמוֹן^II m.n. ‘Amon’ — name of the ancient Egyptian sun god, orig. the local god of Thebes. [Egypt. Amūn, whence also Akka. Amūnu, Gk. Ammon (identified by the Greeks with Zeus). cp. אַמּוֹנִיט.]

אָמוּן adj. 1 faithful. 2 trained, educated. [Pass. part. of אָמַן. See אמן.]

אִמּוּן m.n. mh training. [Verbal n. of אִמֵּן, Pi. of אמן.] Derivative: אִמּוּנִית.

אֵמּוּן m.n. (pl. אֱמוּנִים) confidence, faithfulness, fidelity, trust. [From אמן. For the form cp. אֵבוּס.]

אֱמוּנָה f.n. 1 firmness, steadfastness. 2 pbh faithfulness, faith, fidelity. 3 pbh belief, creed, religion. [Formed from אמן with first suff. □ָה. cp. Arab. ’amāna^h (= faithfulness, fidelity), ’imān (= faith, belief), OSArab. אמנת (= firmness, steadiness).]

אַמּוֹנִיט m.n. fw ammonite. [Formed from L. cornū Ammon̄is (= the horn of Ammon; so called from its shape, which resembles a ram’s horn) (Ammon was represented with ram’s horns); see אָמוֹן^II. For the ending see subst. suff. ‘-ite’ in my cedel.]

אַמּוֹנְיָק m.n. fw ammoniac. [L. ammōniacum, from Gk. ammoniakon (= a resinous gum), prob. from orig. Armeniakon (= Armenian), through the intermediate form armoniakon, occurring in the works of ancient authors beside ammoniakon; so called because first found in Armenia.]

אִמּוּנִית f.n. nh track suit. [Formed from אִמּוּן with suff. □ִית.]

אִמּוּץ m.n. 1 mh strengthening, encouragement. 2 nh adoption (of a child). [Verbal n. of אִמֵּץ. Pi. of אמץ^I.]

אֶמוֹצְיָה f.n. fw emotion. [Fren. émotion, formed from émouvoir (= to move, stir up a passion, to affect, touch; orig.: ‘to set in motion’), after the relation of Fren. mouvoir (= to move). Fren. émouvoir derives from esmovoir, from VL ^*exmovēre, which corresponds to L. ēmovēre (= to move out, move away; to stir up, agitate), from ē, resp. ex (= out of; see אֶקֽס□), and movēre (= to move), which is prob. cogn. with Old I. mī́vati (= pushes, moves), kāmamūtaḥ (= moved by love), etc. For the ending of אֶמוֹצְיָה see suff. □יָה. cp. אֶמוֹצְיוֹנָלִי.]

אֶמוֹצְיוֹנָלִי adj. emotional. [Formed with adj. suff. □ִי from Eng. emotional, from emotion, from Fren. émotion. See אֶמוֹצֽיָה.]

אָמוֹק adj. fw amok, amuck. [Malay amoq (= in a frenzy).]

אָמוּר adj. pbh said. [Pass. part. of אָמַר. See אמר^I.]

אָמוֹרָא m.n. pbh ‘amora’ — Talmudic interpreter of the Mishnah. [Aram., lit.: ‘speaker’, from אֲמַר (= he spoke). See אמר^I.]

אֲמוֹרְטִיזַצְיָה f.n. amortization. [Eng. amortization, from amortize, from Fren. amortiss-, pres. part. stem of amortir, from VL admortīre (= to deaden, extinguish), from ad (= to, toward), and mortus, L. mortuus (= dead), from L. mors, gen. mortis (= death), which is cogn. with Old I. mrtiḥ (= death), etc. All these words derive from ie base ^*mer- (= to die), which is orig. identical with base ^*mer- (= to consume, be consumed). See ‘morbid’, ‘mordant’ in my cedel. For the ending of אֲמוֹרְטִיזַצְיָה see suff. □ַצֽיָה.]

אֱמוֹרִי, אֱמֹרִי m.n. Amorite (singular used collectively) — one of the names of the ancient inhabitants of the Land of Canaan. [Borrowed from Akka. Amurrū, gentilic name from Amurru (= West, Land of the West), a loan word from Sumerian Mar-tū. For the sense development [[pg-35]]of אֱמֹרִי it should be borne in mind that the Amorites lived to the west of Assyria and Babylonia.]

אֵמוּרִים m.n. pbh portions of sacrifices (offered on the altar). [Of uncertain origin.]

אֲמוֹרְפִי adj. fw amorphous. [Formed with suff. □ִי from Gk. amorphos (= without form, shapeless, deformed) from privative pref. a- and morphe (= form, shape), which is of uncertain origin.]

אִמּוּת m.n. mh verification, authentication. [Verbal n. of אִמֵּת, Pi. of אמת.]

אֶמִיגְרַצְיָה f.n. fw emigration. [Late L. ēmigrātiō, from L. ēmigrātus, p. part. of ēmigrāre (= to move away, remove, emigrate), from ē (= out of) and migrāre (= to move from one place to another, to wander). See אִימִיגְרַצֽיָה.]

אָמִיד adj. nh well-to-do, well-off, wealthy, affluent. [From Aram. אֲמִיד, which derives from אֲמַד (= he estimated, appraised), whence properly means ‘a person appraised and believed to be wealthy’. See אמד^I and cp. אָמוּד.] Derivative: אֲמִידוּת.

אֲמִידָה f.n. mh estimation, assessment, appraisal. [Verbal n. of אָמַד. See אמד^I and first suff. □ָה.]

אֲמִידוּת f.n. nh the state or condition of being well-to-do. [Formed from אָמִיד with suff. □וּת.]

אֶמַיְל, אֵימָל m.n. fw enamel. [From Fren. émail, which is a Teutonic loan word. cp. Old Ger. smelzen, Old Eng. meltan (= to melt), and see ‘melt’ and ‘smelt’ in my cedel.] Derivative: אמל^II.

אָמִין adj. nh 1 authentic. 2 dependable, reliable. [Lit.: ‘believable’. Coined from אמן according to the pattern פָּעִיל, which is used in nh to form adjectives denoting capability or fitness.] Derivative: אֲמִינוּת.

אֲמִינוּת f.n. nh 1 authenticity. 2 reliability. [Formed from אָמִין with suff. □וּת.]

אַמְיַנְטוֹן m.n. pbh name of a kind of asbestos. [Gk. amiantos (lithos), lit.: ‘undefiled (stone)’, from privative pref. a- and miatos (= stained, defiled), verbal adj. of mianein (= to stain, defile), which derives from ie base ^*mei-, ^*mai- (= to stain, defile). See ‘miasma’ in my cedel.]