צבע

Aramaic

Alternative forms

• ܨܒܱܥ (ṣbaʿ)

Verb

צְבַע • (ṣəbaʿ)

1. to dip
2. to moisten
3. to dye, to color/colour

References

• “ṣbˁ”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

Hebrew

Root
צ־ב־ע (ts-b-ʿ)
7 terms

Etymology

Compare Arabic صَبَغَ (ṣabaḡa, “to dye”), Aramaic צְבַע (ṣəbaʿ, “to dip, to dye”), Akkadian 𒍝𒁍𒌑 (/⁠ṣabû⁠/, “to soak, to bathe”), Ge'ez ጸብኀ (ṣäbḫä, “to dip”).

Pronunciation

• (צֶבַע, tsévaʿ)
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡seva(ʕ)/, [ˈt͡se̞vä(ʕ)]

Noun

צֶבַע • (tséva', ṣéḇaʿ) m (plural indefinite צְבָעִים) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

1. color, colour
2. paint
3. dye, colourant

Noun

צַבָּע • (tsabá', ṣabbāʿ) m (plural indefinite צַבָּעִים, feminine counterpart צַבָּעִית) [pattern: קַטָּל]

1. a (male) painter.

Verb

צָבַע • (tsavá', ṣāḇaʿ) (pa'al construction)

1. (he) painted; (he) colored, (he) dyed

Conjugation

Conjugation of צָבַע (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs)

non-finite forms		to-infinitive		לצבוע / לִצְבֹּעַ
		action noun		צְבִיעָה
		passive participle		צָבוּעַ
finite forms		singular		plural
		m	f	m	f
past	first	צָבַעְתִּי		צָבַעְנוּ
	second	צָבַעְתָּ	צָבַעְתְּ	צְבַעְתֶּם1	צְבַעְתֶּן1
	third	צָבַע	צָבְעָה	צָבְעוּ
present		צוֹבֵעַ	צוֹבַעַת	צוֹבְעִים	צוֹבְעוֹת
future	first	אֶצְבַּע		נִצְבַּע
	second	תִּצְבַּע	תִּצְבְּעִי	תִּצְבְּעוּ	תִּצְבַּעְנָה2
	third	יִצְבַּע	תִּצְבַּע	יִצְבְּעוּ	תִּצְבַּעְנָה2
imperative	positive	צְבַע	צִבְעִי	צִבְעוּ	צְבַעְנָה2
	negative	אַל + Second person future tense

¹ Pronounced צָבַעְתֶּם and צָבַעְתֶּן in informal Modern Hebrew.
² Rare in Modern Hebrew.

Derived terms

• צִבְעוֹנִי m (tsiv'oní, ṣiḇʿônî, “colorful, colourful”)