טלית

Hebrew

Etymology

Unclear. Suggestions include:

• From the Aramaic root ט־ל־ל (t-l-l) (related to the Hebrew root צ־ל־ל (ts-l-l); compare צל (tsél)).
• From Ancient Greek στολή (stolḗ, “garment”).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /taˈlit/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈtaləs/
• (Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /taˈlet/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /talˈliθ/
• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /talˈliːθ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

טַלִּית • (talit) f (plural indefinite טַלִּיתוֹת, singular construct טַלִּית־)

1. (Judaism) tallit (a traditional Jewish prayer shawl with tassels which covers the chest and upper part of the back)

   בבית הכנסת בבוקר האנשים לובשים טליתות

   In the synagogue in the morning the men wear prayer shawls.

2. (obsolete) A shawl, cloak, cape.

Usage notes

• The historical vowelization of this word is טַלֵּת; the modern vowelization is listed above, above the definitions. See the Mandel reference, cited below, for details.
• The historical plural of this word is unclear. The modern plural is listed above, above the definitions. See the Mandel reference, cited below, for details.
• Historically, this word's gender was masculine; the gender listed above, feminine, conforms to modern use. See the Mandel reference, cited below, for details.

Derived terms

• טלית קטן

Descendants

• → Dutch: tallit
• → English: tallit
• → Yiddish: טלית (tales)

References

• May 10, 2001, post "Tallit/talles" by Seth Mandel to Avodah, archived in volume 7, number 39.

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew טַלִּית.

Pronunciation

• (YIVO) IPA^(key): /ˈtaləs/

Noun

טלית • (tales) m, plural טליתים (taleysim)

1. tallit/tallis