nēšum

Akkadian

𒌨𒈤 (nēšum)

𒀯𒌨𒀀 (nēšum)

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *naḥaš- (“lion”). Cognate with Arabic حَنَش (ḥanaš, “snake, viper”) and Biblical Hebrew נָחָשׁ (nɔḥɔš, “snake”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈneː.ʃum/

Noun

nēšum m (plural nēšū) (from Old Babylonian on)

1. lion

   Synonym: (poetic) lābum (“lion”)

2. (astronomy) Leo (constellation)

Alternative forms

• nēšu (non-mimated)

Cuneiform spellings

Logograms	Phonetic
𒌨𒈤 (UR.MAḪ) (astronomy, omens) 𒌨𒀀 (UR.A) (astronomy) 𒀯𒌨𒀀 (mulUR.A) (astronomy) 𒀯𒌨𒈤 (mulUR.MAȞ)	𒉈𒋗𒌝 (ne-šu-um) 𒉌𒋗𒌝 (ne₂-šu-um) 𒉌𒂊𒋳 (ne₂-e-šum) 𒉈𒋳 (ne-šum)

Coordinate terms

Zodiac signs in Akkadian (layout · text)
𒀯𒇽𒂠𒂷 (agrum)	𒀯𒄞𒀭𒈾 (alû)	𒀯𒈦𒋰𒁀 (māšum)	𒀯𒀠𒈜 (alluttum)
𒀯𒌨𒈤 (nēšum)	𒀯𒀊𒉆 (šer'um)	𒀯𒍣𒁀𒀭𒈾 (zibānītum)	𒀯𒄈𒋰 (zuqiqīpum)
𒀯𒉺𒉈𒊕 (pabilsag)	𒀯𒋦𒈧 (suḫurmāšu)	𒀯𒄖𒆷 (sinuntu)	𒀯𒆲𒎌 (zibbātu)

Derived terms

• nēštum (“lioness”)

References

• “nēšu”, in The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (CAD)‎^[1], volume 11, N, part 2, Chicago: University of Chicago Oriental Institute, 1980