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:

     (please add the primary text of this quotation)

     JPS

     
     

     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:

     (please add the primary text of this quotation)

     JPS

     
     

     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.