חרטום

Hebrew

Root
ח־ר־ט־ם (ḥ-r-ṭ-m)

Etymology 1

Compare Arabic خُرْطُوم (ḵurṭūm, “trunk, snout, nose”).

Noun

חַרְטוֹם • (ḥarṭóm) m (plural indefinite חַרְטוֹמִים, singular construct חַרְטוֹם־)

1. nose (of an animal), beak (of a bird)
   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Tohorot 1:2:

     הַחַרְטוֹם וְהַצִּפָּרְנַיִם מִטַּמְּאִין וּמְטַמְּאִין.

     Ha-ḥarṭóm v-ha-tsipparnáyim miṭṭamm'ín u-mṭamm'ín

     The beak and the claws contract impurity and convey impurity.

2. tip (of an object), bow (of a ship)

Etymology 2

From Demotic ḥr-tb (“reciting priest, magician”)

Noun

חרטום / חַרְטֹם • (ḥarṭóm) m (plural indefinite חרטומים / חַרְטֻמִּים, plural construct חרטומי / חַרְטֻמֵּי־)

1. magician, scholar
   • Tanach, Exodus 7:11, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיִּקְרָא גַּם פַּרְעֹה לַחֲכָמִים וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם כֵּן.

     Va-yiqrá gam Par'ó la-ḥakhamím v-la-mkhashpím va-ya'asú gam hem ḥarṭumméi Mitsráyim b-lahateihém ken

     Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts.

   • Tanach, Daniel 2:2, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לִקְרֹא לַחַרְטֻמִּים וְלָאַשָּׁפִים וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים וְלַכַּשְׂדִּים לְהַגִּיד לַמֶּלֶךְ חֲלֹמֹתָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ.

     Va-yómer ha-mélekh liqró la-ḥarṭummím v-la-ashafím v-la-mkhashfím v-la-kaśdím lhagíd la-mélekh ḥalomotáv va-yavóu va-ya'amdú lifnéi ha-mélekh

     Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

Derived terms

• כתב חרטומים (ktav ḥartummim, “heiroglyphics”)

References

• “חרטום” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language