שיבולת

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
שׁ־ב־ל‎ (š-b-l)

Cognate with Akkadian 𒋗𒁍𒌌𒌈 (šubultum, “ear of wheat”), Ugaritic 𐎌𐎁𐎍𐎚 (šblt, “ear of grain”), Aramaic שׁוּבַּלְתָּא/שִׁבַּלְתָּא‎ (šubbaltā/šibbaltā), Classical Syriac ܫܒܠܬܐ‎ (šeb(b)eltāʼ, “ear of grain; flow of a river”), Old South Arabian 𐩪𐩨𐩡𐩩‎ (s¹blt, “ear of grain”), and Arabic سُنْبُلَة‎ (sunbula), سَبَلَة‎ (sabala).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʃiˈbolet/

Noun

שיבולת / שִׁבֹּלֶת • (shibólet, šibbṓleṯ) f (plural indefinite שיבולים / שִׁבֳּלִים‎, singular construct שיבולת / שִׁבֹּלֶת־, plural construct שיבלי / שִׁבֳּלֵי־‎)

1. an ear of wheat
   1. a stalk of grain
   2. (botany) a spike
2. a shibboleth

Usage notes

• The plural construct form שִׁבֲּלֵי־‎, is also encountered (see Zechariah 2:14).

Derived terms

• שבולת שועל / שִׁבֹּלֶת שׁוּעָל‎ (shibólet shu'ál)

Descendants

• → English: shibboleth
• → French: shibboleth

Noun

שיבולת / שִׁבֹּלֶת • (shibólet, šibbṓleṯ) f (plural indefinite שיבולות / שִׁבּוֹלוֹת‎, singular construct שיבולת / שִׁבֹּלֶת־)

1. (biblical) a vortex, a flowing stream, a waterflood
   • Psalms 69:15, with translation of the King James Version:

     ‏אַל־תִּשְׁטְפֵנִי שִׁבֹּלֶת מַיִם וְאַל־תִּבְלָעֵנִי מְצוּלָה וְאַל־תֶּאְטַר־עָלַי בְּאֵר פִּֽיהָ׃‎‎

     Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.