איש

Hebrew

Root
א־נ־שׁ‎ (ʾ-n-š)

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *ʾš (“man, person”). Compare cognates in other Semitic languages (e.g. Moabite, Aramaic, etc.) ('šm in some).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)iʃ/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): [ʔiːʃ]

• (file)

Noun

אִישׁ • ('ish) m (plural indefinite אֲנָשִׁים‎, singular construct אִישׁ־, plural construct אַנְשֵׁי־‎, feminine counterpart אישה / אִשָּׁה‎)

1. A man, adult male human being.
2. A husband, a male spouse.
   • 2 Kings 4:26, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     ‏עַתָּה רוּץ נָא לִקְרָאתָהּ וֶאֱמָר לָהּ הֲשָׁלוֹם לָךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לְאִישֵׁךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לַיָּלֶד וַתֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם.‎‎

     atá rúts ná lik'ratáh ve'emár láh hashalóm lákh hashalóm l'ishékh hashalóm layéled vatómer shalóm

     Run, I pray thee, now to meet her, and say unto her: Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child?' And she answered: 'It is well.'

3. (slang) Man, dude, used as a term of address.

Declension

Declension of אִישׁ

Number	Isolated forms		With possessive pronouns
	State	Form	Person	singular		plural
				m.	f.	m.	f.
singular	indefinite	אִישׁ	first	אִישִׁי‎		אִישֵׁנוּ‎
	definite	הָאִישׁ‎	second	אִישְׁךָ‎	אִישֵׁךְ‎	אִישְׁכֶם‎	אִישְׁכֶן‎
	construct	אִישׁ־	third	אִישׁוֹ‎	אִישָׁהּ‎	אִישָׁם‎	אִישָׁן‎
plural	indefinite	אֲנָשִׁים‎	first	אנשיי / אֲנָשַׁי‎		אֲנָשֵׁינוּ‎
	definite	הָאֲנָשִׁים‎	second	אֲנָשֶׁיךָ‎	אנשייך / אֲנָשַׁיִךְ‎	אַנְשֵׁיכֶם‎	אַנְשֵׁיכֶן‎
	construct	אַנְשֵׁי־‎	third	אֲנָשָׁיו‎	אֲנָשֶׁיהָ‎	אַנְשֵׁיהֶם‎	אַנְשֵׁיהֶן‎

Synonyms

• (husband): בעל‎ (ba`al)

Derived terms

• אישי‎ (ishí)
• אישיות‎ (ishiyút)
• אִישׁ דְּבָרִים‎ (ísh dvarím)
• אִישׁוֹן‎ (ishón)
• אִישׁ עֲסָקִים‎ (ísh asakím)
• אִישׁ קַשׁ‎ (ísh kash)
• אִישׁ שֶׁלֶג‎ (ísh shéleg)
• אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ‎ ('éshet 'ísh)

See also

• חבוב‎

Pronoun

אִישׁ • ('ish) m

1. (formal, in negative sentences) Anyone.

   ‏רבים ניסו, אך איש לא הצליח.‎‎

   rabím nisú, akh ish lo hitzlíakh.

   Many tried, but none [literally not a man] succeeded.

   • Exodus 16:19, with translation of the New International Version:

     ‏וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ אַל־יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנּוּ עַד־בֹּקֶר׃‎‎

     Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."

References

• H376 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible