חמאה

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
ח־מ־א (kh-m-ʾ)
2 terms

Related to Akkadian 𒉌𒉣𒈾 (ḫimētu). Compare Classical Syriac ܚܹܐܘܬܵܐ (ḥeˀwṯā). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /χemˈ(ʔ)a/

Noun

חֶמְאָה • (khem'á) f (plural indefinite חֲמָאוֹת, singular construct חֶמְאַת־, plural construct חֶמְאוֹת־) [pattern: קַטְלָה]

1. butter
2. (Biblical Hebrew) curdled milk; quark, cheese
   • Tanach, Genesis 18:8:

     וַיִּקַּח חֶמְאָה וְחָלָב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהוּא־עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם תַּחַת הָעֵץ וַיֹּאכֵלוּ׃

     He took curds and milk and the calf which he prepared and put them in front of them. And he was standing near them under the tree and they ate.

   • Tanach, Judges 5:25:

     מַיִם שָׁאַל חָלָב נָתָנָה בְּסֵפֶל אַדִּירִים הִקְרִיבָה חֶמְאָה׃

     He asked for water, she gave milk; in a princely bowl she brought curds.

Usage notes

The plural remains almost unused.

References

• H2529 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
• “חמאה” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Further reading

• חמאה on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he