שונרא

Aramaic

Etymology

From Akkadian 𒊓𒀀 (šurānum). Compare Arabic سِنَّوْر (sinnawr), Hebrew שֻׁנָּר (šunnār).

Noun

שׁוּנְרָא • (shunra) (plural שונרי)

1. cat
   • a. 1590, “חד גדיא [One Kid Goat]”, traditional cumulative song recited by Jews at the Passover Seder:

     חַד גַּדְיָא, חַד גַּדְיָא
     וְאָתָא שׁוּנְרָא, וְאָכְלָה לְגַדְיָא
     דְּזַבִּין אַבָּא בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי
     

     ḥaḏ gaḏyā, ḥaḏ gaḏyā
     wəʾāṯā šūnrā wəʾāḵlā ləgaḏyā
     dəzabbīn abbā biṯrē zūzē.
     

     One little goat, one little goat:
     Then cat came, and ate the goat,
     Which my father bought for two zuzim.
     

References

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