שבעה

Hebrew

Etymology 1

Root
שׁ־ב־ע (sh-b-ʿ)

From Proto-Semitic *šabʿ-, synchronically from Proto-Afroasiatic *sṗɣ (“seven”)

Numeral

שִׁבְעָה • (shiv'á) m (construct שִׁבְעַת־, feminine שֶׁבַע)

1. seven

Usage notes

• In Modern Hebrew, when the numbers three through ten modify a definite masculine noun and are directly preceding it, the construct form is used:

  שִׁבְעָה סְפָרִים ― shiv'á s'farím ― seven books

  שִׁבְעַת הַסְּפָרִים ― shiv'át has'farím ― the seven books

• The construct form is not used for higher numbers ending in seven, such as twenty-seven:

  עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁבְעָה הַסְּפָרִים ― 'esrím v'shiv'á has'farím ― the twenty-seven books

• In colloquial Modern Hebrew, the form שֶׁבַע (shéva') is often used regardless of gender.

Coordinate terms

• Last: שישה / שִׁשָּׁה (shishá)
• Next: שְׁמוֹנָה (sh'moná)

Descendants

• English: shiva

Etymology 2

Verb

שבעה • (transliteration needed)

1. (שְׂבֵעָה, s'veá) Feminine singular present participle and present tense of שָׂבַע (savá).
2. (שָׂבְעָה, sav'á) Third-person feminine singular past (suffix conjugation) of שָׂבַע (savá).