גושפנקה

Hebrew

Etymology

From Aramaic גושפנקא.

Noun

גושפנקה / גֻּשְׁפַּנְקָה • (gushpanká) f (plural indefinite גושפנקות / גֻּשְׁפַּנְקוֹת, singular construct גושפנקת / גֻּשְׁפַּנְקַת־, plural construct גושפנקות / גֻּשְׁפַּנְקוֹת־)

1. A seal, a seal ring.
2. A seal, an approbation, an imprimatur, a seal of approval.

Usage notes

• As with other feminine loanwords from Aramaic, the Academy of the Hebrew Language recommends^[1] that גושפנקה be written with a ה (h, “hei”) at the end rather than with an א (ʾ, “alef”) (as in Aramaic). Nonetheless, the Aramaic spellings are still common today, sometimes more common than the recommended spellings. In many cases the different plurals are used interchangeably.

Alternative forms

• גושפנקא (gushpanká) (Aramaic spelling)