פרסא

Aramaic

Etymology

Related to פְּרַס (pəras, “to divide”).

Noun

פַּרְסָא • (parsā) m (absolute פְּרֵס (pərēs))

1. a half-unit, such as a half-shekel or half-mina
   • Tanach, Daniel 5:25, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וּדְנָה כְתָבָא דִּי רְשִׁים מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִין׃

     ūḏənā ḵəṯāḇā dī rəšīm mənē mənē təqēl ūp̄arsīn.

     And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN [a mina, a mina, a shekel, and half-shekels].

   • Tanach, Daniel 5:28, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     פְּרֵס פְּרִיסַת מַלְכוּתָךְ וִיהִיבַת לְמָדַי וּפָרָס׃

     pərēs pərīsaṯ malḵūṯāḵ wīhīḇaṯ ləmāḏay ūp̄ārās.

     PERES [half-shekel], thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.