גיר

Aramaic

Etymology

From Ancient Greek γάρ (gár).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡejr/

Conjunction

גיר • (transliteration needed)

1. for, since

Usage notes

• גיר is a post-positive word, i.e., it is never the first word in a sentence.

Hebrew

Etymology 1

Ultimately from Sumerian 𒌋𒀜 (gir, “oven, kiln”). Cognate with Maltese ġir

Noun

גִּיר • (gir) m (plural indefinite גִּירִים, singular construct גִּיר־)

1. (uncountable) lime, calcite; chalk
   • Tanach, Isaiah 27:9, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     לָכֵן בְּזֹאת יְכֻפַּר עֲוֺן־יַעֲקֹב וְזֶה כָּל־פְּרִי הָסִר חַטָּאתוֹ בְּשׂוּמוֹ כָּל־אַבְנֵי מִזְבֵּחַ כְּאַבְנֵי־גִר מְנֻפָּצוֹת לֹא־יָקֻמוּ אֲשֵׁרִים וְחַמָּנִים׃

     Lakhén b-zot y'khupár 'avón Ya'aqóv v-zeh kol p'ri ha-sir ḥaṭato b-sumó kol avnéi mizbéaḥ k-ávnei gir m'nupatsót lo yaqúmu asherím v-ḥammaním.

     Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be expiated, And this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: When he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in pieces, So that the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more.

   • a. 425 C.E., Jerusalem Talmud, Shabbat 7:2:

     הָהֵן דִּחְשַׁר גִּיר גִּבְּסִין מוֹץ חוֹל עָפָר חַייָב מִשּׁוּם מְרַקֵּד. הָהֵן דִּגְבַל גִּיר גִּבְּסִין עָפָר קִילוֹרִין מָלוּגְמַא סַמְמָנִין חַייָב מַשּׁוּם לָשׁ.

     Ha-hen di-ḥ'shár gir, gibsín, motz, ḥol, 'afar — ḥayyáv mi-shum m'raqqéd. Ha-hen di-gvar gir, gibsín, 'afar, qilorín, malugmá, sam'manín, ḥayyáv mi-shum lash.

     One who sifts chalk, gypsum, chaff, sand, dust — is liable on account of sifting. One who kneads chalk, gypsum, dust, collyrium, amalgam, medicines, is liable on account of dough.

2. (countable) a piece (stick) of chalk

References

• H1615 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

Etymology 2

Verb

גִּיֵּר • (giyér) third-singular masculine past (pi'el construction)

1. defective spelling of גייר