אדם

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Aramaic[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Proper noun[edit]

אדם (adám)

  1. (biblical) Adam.
  2. a male given name

Hebrew[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Root
א־ד־ם(ʾ-d-m)

Comparable to Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤌(ʾdm, man, earthling), Ugaritic 𐎀𐎄𐎎 (ảdm, man; red earth, red ochre), Old South Arabian 𐩱𐩵𐩣(ʾdm, vassals, subjects), Ge'ez ዶም (dom, slave), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒄠𒈬 (a-da-am-mu /adamu/, blood), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒈠𒌈 (a-da-ma-tum /adamātu/, dark red earth or dye), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒈬 (a-da-mu /adamu/, a red garment), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒈬 (a-da-mu /adamu/, an important or noble person). The meaning range points to these words being extensions from Proto-Semitic *dam- (blood), compare the Palestinian Aramaic forms of it אדם‎ / אידם‎ / ܐܕܡ(ʾəḏem, blood). The meaning development could be any of the following:

  1. “blood” → “red earth”, “red ochre” → “earthling”;
  2. “blood” → “man”, as blood is a main ingredient of humans;
  3. “blood” → “red earth”, “red ochre” → “the dye to paint idols” → hence “an idol” → “an effigy, a likeness” → “a man”;
  4. “blood” → “blood sacrifice to appease an idol” → hence “an idol” → “an effigy, a likeness” → “a man”;
  5. “blood” → “red” → “to show red blood in the face, e.g. to blush” → “a human”.

Compare Arabic دُمْيَة(dumya, statue, idol; effigy, likeness; doll, puppet), دَمَّ(damma, to bedaub).

Noun[edit]

אָדָם (adámm [pattern: קָטָל]

  1. person, human, human being
  2. mankind, humankind
    אָדָם לְאָדָם זְאֵב‎ ― adám l'adám z'évMan is a wolf to man. (cf. homō hominī lupus)
  3. man
Usage notes[edit]

For plural, בני אדם‎ or אנשים‎ can be used.

Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Descendants[edit]
  • Arabic: آدَم(ʔādam)
  • Aramaic: אָדָם / ܐܳܕܳܡ(ʾāḏām)
  • Ge'ez: አዳም (ʾädam)

Proper noun[edit]

אָדָם (adámm

  1. a male given name, equivalent to English Adam
Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

Root
א־ד־ם(ʾ-d-m)

Adjective[edit]

אָדֹם (adóm) (feminine אֲדֻמָּה‎, masculine plural אֲדֻמִּים‎, feminine plural אֲדֻמּוֹת‎)

  1. defective spelling of אדום('adóm, red).

Noun[edit]

אֹדֶם (ódemm

  1. defective spelling of אודם(ódem, redness).

Anagrams[edit]