ṣēnum

Akkadian

𒉺𒇻 𒅇 𒍢𒉌𒋗 (rē'ûm u ṣēnīšu)

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *ṣ́aʔn- (“sheep”). Cognate with Arabic ضَأْن (ḍaʔn) and Biblical Hebrew צֹאן (ṣóʔn).

Pronunciation

• (Old Babylonian) IPA^(key): /ˈsˤeː.num/

Noun

ṣēnum f (plural ṣēnū f)

1. sheep, flock (of sheep and goats)

   Synonym: (singular sheep) 𒇻 (immerum, “sheep”)

Usage notes

• Used in the singular as a collective name in Old Akkadian and Old Assyrian. From Old Babylonian on it becomes a feminine plurale tantum.

Alternative forms

• ṣēnu (non-mimated)
• ṣānum, ṣānu (Old Akkadian)
• ṣe'ānu (Neo-Assyrian)

Cuneiform spellings

Logograms	Phonetic
𒇇𒇻𒄭𒀀 (U₈.UDU.ḪI.A)	𒍢𒂊𒉡 (ṣe-e-nu)

Related terms

• alpum
• immerum
• lītum

 

References

• “ṣēnu”, in The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (CAD)‎^[1], Chicago: University of Chicago Oriental Institute, 1956–2011