Egyptian [ edit ] Etymology [ edit ] Possibly from Proto-Afroasiatic *fir- ( “ to be good ” ) with an additional *nV- prefix.[1] Tamahaq ⵉⴼⵔⴰⵔ ( ifrar , “ best ” ) and Saho feer ( “ good ” ) .
Pronunciation [ edit ] ( For the adjective: )
3-lit.
( intransitive ) to be(come) of superior or admirable quality , to be(come) fine , good , or wonderful
12th Dynasty , The coffin of Nakhtankh, London, British Museum, BM EA 35285 :
[…] qrst nfrt m jz.f nfr n ẖrt-nṯr […] […] a good burial in his wonderful tomb of the necropolis […] ( intransitive ) to be(come) pleasant or gratifying to the senses
( intransitive ) to be(come) beautiful or fair , to look good ( intransitive , of scents and flowers) to smell good ( intransitive , of food and drinks) to taste good ( intransitive , of periods of time) to be(come) pleasant or enjoyable to live through ( intransitive , of people) to acquire or have good or pleasant qualities , to be capable , agreeable , or benevolent ( intransitive , of work) to be done well or competently ( intransitive , of medicine) to be(come) effective ( intransitive , of names) to acquire or have a good reputation Inflection [ edit ]
Conjugation of nfr (triliteral / 3-lit. / 3rad.) — base stem: nfr , geminated stem: nfrr
infinitival forms
imperative
infinitive
negatival complement
complementary infinitive1
singular
plural
nfr nfrw , nfr nfrt nfr nfr
‘pseudoverbal’ forms
stative stem
periphrastic imperfective 2
periphrastic prospective 2
nfr ḥr nfr m nfr r nfr
suffix conjugation
aspect / mood
active
contingent
aspect / mood
active
perfect
nfr.n consecutive
nfr.jn
terminative
nfrt
perfective 3
nfr obligative1
nfr.ḫr
imperfective
nfr
prospective 3
nfr potentialis1
nfr.kꜣ
subjunctive
nfr
verbal adjectives
aspect / mood
relative (incl. nominal / emphatic) forms
participles
active
active
passive
perfect
nfr.n —
—
perfective
nfr nfr nfr , nfrw 5 , nfry 5
imperfective
nfr , nfry , nfrw 5 nfr , nfrj 6 , nfry 6 nfr , nfrw 5
prospective
nfr , nfrtj 7 nfrtj 4 , nfrt 4
Used in Old Egyptian; archaic by Middle Egyptian.
Used mostly since Middle Egyptian.
Archaic or greatly restricted in usage by Middle Egyptian. The perfect has mostly taken over the functions of the perfective, and the subjunctive and periphrastic prospective have mostly replaced the prospective.
Declines using third-person suffix pronouns instead of adjectival endings: masculine .f .fj .s .sj .sn .snj .sn
Only in the masculine singular.
Only in the masculine.
Only in the feminine.
Alternative forms [ edit ]
Alternative hieroglyphic writings of nfr
Derived terms [ edit ] Adjective [ edit ] perfective active participle of nfr fine , beautiful , pleasant , etc.Inflection [ edit ]
Declension of nfr (perfective active participle)
masculine
feminine
singular
nfr nfrt
dual
nfrwj nfrtj
plural
nfrw nfrwt 1 , nfrt 2
Archaic in Middle Egyptian when modifying a noun.
From Middle Egyptian, this feminine singular form was generally used for the plural.
Along with bjn ꜥꜣ nfr is one of the few Egyptian adjectives that continued to show remnants of gender and number inflection into Late Egyptian (and beyond).[3]
Alternative forms [ edit ] See the ‘Alternative forms’ section under the verb above.
Derived terms [ edit ] See the ‘Derived terms’ under the verb above.
Descendants [ edit ] Demotic: nfr Coptic:ⲛⲟⲩϥⲉ ( noufe ) ( Sahidic, Akhmimic ) , ⲛⲟⲩϥⲓ ( noufi ) ( Bohairic, Fayyumic ) m
fine or good person ( with following genitive ) benefactor (of someone), welldoer ( with following plural genitive ) the best (person) among…, the best one of…Inflection [ edit ]
Declension of nfr (masculine)
Alternative forms [ edit ] See the ‘Alternative forms’ section under the verb above.
m
good , goodness , pleasingness (in opposition to bjn good qualities or deeds (of a person)something fine , good , beautiful , pleasing Alternative forms [ edit ]
Alternative hieroglyphic writings of nfr
Interjection [ edit ] good , sure , fine correct , that’s right well Alternative forms [ edit ] See the ‘Alternative forms’ section under the verb above.
Particle [ edit ] proclitic
not even , not at all Usage notes [ edit ] In Middle Egyptian, this particle is found only in the constructions nfr pw nfr n nfr ꜣ
Alternative forms [ edit ]
Alternative hieroglyphic writings of nfr
Derived terms [ edit ] Related terms [ edit ] nfrw ( “ depletion, deficiency, zero ” ) References [ edit ] Erman, Adolf ; Grapow, Hermann (1928) Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache [1] →ISBN page 253.1–256.15, 257.12–257.15, 258.11–258.17 James P[eter] Allen (2010) Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs , 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN 194–195 page 94–95, 194–195 .Hoch, James (1997) Middle Egyptian Grammar , Mississauga: Benben Publications, →ISBN page 42
^ Orel, Vladimir E. ; Stolbova, Olga V. (1995), “*fir- ”, in Hamito-Semitic Etymological Dictionary: Materials for a Reconstruction (Handbuch der Orientalistik; I.18), Leiden, New York, Köln: E.J. Brill↑ 2.0 2.1 Loprieno, Antonio (1995) Ancient Egyptian: A Linguistic Introduction , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN page 39, 56
^ Junge, Friedrich (2005) Late Egyptian Grammar: An Introduction , second English edition, Oxford: Griffith Institute, page 66
