אביב

Aramaic

Noun

אביב • (transliteration needed)

1. inflection of אביבא:
   1. singular indefinite
   2. singular construct state form

Hebrew

Root
א־ב־ב (ʾ-b-b)
6 terms

Etymology

From the root meaning "to be thick," "to swell," or "to ripen." Possible cognate to Arabic أَبّ (ʔabb, “pasture, herbage”). Not related to Coptic ⲉⲡⲏⲡ (epēp, “November”), a false friend.

Pronunciation

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈbiːb/ → /ʔaːˈbiːb/ → [ʔaːˈβiːβ]
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɔːˈviːv/ [ʔɔːˈviːv]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɔˈviv/ [ʔɔːˈviːv]
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)aˈviv/

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Noun

אָבִיב • (avív) m (plural indefinite אֲבִיבִים, singular construct אָבִיב־) [pattern: קָטִיל]

1. (countable, uncountable) spring (the season of the year in temperate regions in which temperatures and daylight hours rise, and plants spring from the ground and into bloom and dormant animals spring to life)
2. early stage of ripening, especially of grains
   • Tanach, Exodus 9:31, with translation of Aryeh Kaplan:

     וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָה נֻכָּתָה כִּי הַשְּׂעֹרָה אָבִיב וְהַפִּשְׁתָּה גִּבְעֹל׃

     v'hapishtá v'has'orá nukáta ki has'orá avív v'hapishtá giv'ól.

     The flax and barley have been destroyed, since the barley was ripe, and the flax had formed stalks.

   • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud. Rosh Hashanah, 7a:

     וּכְתִיב ״שָׁמוֹר אֶת חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב.״ אֵיזֶהוּ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אָבִיב? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה נִיסָן וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ רִאשׁוֹן

     ukhtív "shamór et khódesh ha'avív." ézehu khódesh sheyésh bo avív? hevé omér ze nisán v'karé léh rishón.

     And it is written, "Guard the month of early ripening." Which is the month in which there is early ripening? One must say that it is Nissan, and they call it first.

3. season of beginning barley-crop
   1. (Biblical Hebrew) the month of Nissan, corresponding to around April, the month in which the barley crop begins to ripen.
      • Tanach, Exodus 34:18, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

        אֶת־חַג הַמַּצּוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִךָ לְמוֹעֵד חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב כִּי בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב יָצָאתָ מִמִּצְרָיִם׃

        et khág hamatsót tishmór shiv'át yamím tokhál matsót ashér tsivitíkha l'mo'éd khódesh ha'aviv ki b'khódesh ha'aviv yatsáta mimitsráyim.

        The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.

      • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud. Rosh Hashanah, 7a:

        וּכְתִיב ״שָׁמוֹר אֶת חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב.״ אֵיזֶהוּ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אָבִיב? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה נִיסָן וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ רִאשׁוֹן

        ukhtív "shamór et khódesh ha'avív." ézehu khódesh sheyésh bo avív? hevé omér ze nisán v'karé léh rishón.

        And it is written, "Guard the month of early ripening." Which is the month in which there is early ripening? One must say that it is Nissan, and they call it first.

4. also, the offering of the first fruits (בכורים) (on Passover)
   • Tanach, Leviticus 2:14, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וְאִם־תַּקְרִיב מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרִים לַיהוָה אָבִיב קָלוּי בָּאֵשׁ גֶּרֶשׂ כַּרְמֶל תַּקְרִיב אֵת מִנְחַת בִּכּוּרֶיךָ׃

     v'ím takrív minkhát bikurím ladonáy avív kalúy ba'ésh géres karmél takrív et minkhát bikurékha.

     And if thou bring a meal-offering of first-fruits unto the LORD, thou shalt bring for the meal-offering of thy first-fruits corn in the ear parched with fire, even groats of the fresh ear.

5. (in the plural) years of one's life

Declension

Declension of אָבִיב

	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
Number:	State:	form	Person:	singular		plural
				m	f	m	f
singular	indefinite	אָבִיב	first	אֲבִיבִי		אֲבִיבֵנוּ
	definite	הָאָבִיב	second	אֲבִיבְךָ	אֲבִיבֵךְ	אֲבִיבְכֶם	אֲבִיבְכֶן
	construct	אֲבִיב־	third	אֲבִיבוֹ	אֲבִיבָהּ	אֲבִיבָם	אֲבִיבָן
plural	indefinite	אֲבִיבִים	first	אביביי / אֲבִיבַי		אֲבִיבֵינוּ
	definite	הָאֲבִיבִים	second	אֲבִיבֶיךָ	אביבייך / אֲבִיבַיִךְ	אֲבִיבֵיכֶם	אֲבִיבֵיכֶן
	construct	אֲבִיבֵי־	third	אֲבִיבָיו	אֲבִיבֶיהָ	אֲבִיבֵיהֶם	אֲבִיבֵיהֶן

Derived terms

• אֲבִיבִי m (aviví)
• תֵּל אָבִיב f (Tel Avív)

See also

Seasons in Hebrew · עוֹנָה (layout · text) · category
אָבִיב (“spring”)	קַיִץ (“summer”)	סתיו / סְתָו (“autumn”)	חורף / חֹרֶף (“winter”)

Proper noun

אָבִיב • (avív) m [pattern: קָטִיל]

1. a male given name
2. Abib (biblical figure)
3. Abib (month)

References

• H24 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• “אביב” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language
• "אביב" in the Noun Declension Tables of the Academy of Hebrew Language