zꜣ

Egyptian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

 

• (reconstructed) IPA^(key): /ziːʀ/ → /siːʀ/ → /siːʔ/ → /siːʔ/

• (Old Egyptian, c. 2500 BCE) IPA^(key): /ziːʀ/
• (Middle Egyptian, c. 1700 BCE) IPA^(key): /siːʀ/
• (Amarna-period Late Egyptian, c. 1350 BCE) IPA^(key): /siːʔ/
• (latest Late Egyptian, c. 800 BCE) IPA^(key): /siːʔ/

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /zɑ/
  • Conventional anglicization: za

Noun

 m

1. son [since the Pyramid texts]
   • The Stela of Inhuretnakht, British Museum, Egyptian Antiquities 1783:

     jrt.n n.f zꜣ.f smsw.f mr(j).f dbj

     What his eldest beloved son Debi made for him.

2. (rare) male offspring of an animal [18th dynasty]
3. the succeeding decan after some decan

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[since the Pyramid texts]	[since the Old Kingdom]	[since the Old Kingdom]	[since the Middle Kingdom]	[since the 18th dynasty]	[since the 18th dynasty]	[since the New Kingdom]

Derived terms

• ḥr-zꜣ-ꜣst
• zꜣ-ꜣst
• zꜣ-jmn
• zꜣ-ptḥ
• zꜣ-nht
• zꜣ-nswt
• zꜣ-rꜥ
• zꜣ-rnnwtt
• zꜣ-ḥwt-ḥr
• zꜣ-ḫnt-ẖtj
• zꜣ-sbk
• zꜣt
• zꜣ-tꜣ
• zꜣt-wsrt
• zꜣt-mnṯw
• zꜣt-nswt
• zꜣt-ḫnt-ẖtj
• zꜣt-sbk

 

Descendants

• Old Coptic: ⲥⲓ (si), ⲥⲓ- (si-)
• → Akkadian: 𒋛𒉿 (/⁠-sija-⁠/) in 𒄯 𒋛𒉿 𒂊𒋗 (/⁠har-sija-ēšu⁠/, “Horus, son of Isis”)
• → Ancient Greek: -σι- (-si-) in Ἁρσιησις (Harsiēsis, “Horus, son of Isis”)
• → Ancient Greek: Σι- (Si-) in Σισρω (Sisrō, “the thirtieth decan”), Σισεσμε (Sisesme, “the twenty-fourth decan”), Σικετ (Siket, “the second decan”)

Etymology 2

Noun

 m

1. protection [since the Pyramid Texts]
2. a magic spell
3. an amulet

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[since the Middle Kingdom]	[since the Middle Kingdom]	[Middle Kingdom]	[since the New Kingdom]	[since the New Kingdom]

Derived terms

• nmtj-m-zꜣ.f
• zꜣ-tꜣ

Etymology 3

Noun

 m

1. a measure of area equivalent to one eighth of a sṯꜣt (“arura”) (about 345 square metres).
2. (Late Period, in the direct genitive construction (sṯꜣt-ꜣḥt)) Abbreviation of sṯꜣt (“arura”).

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

zꜣ	zꜣ
[Late Period]	[Late Period]
as abbreviation for arura

Etymology 4

Noun

 m

1. (medicine) a product of an inflammation

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Etymology 5

Noun

 m

1. (medicine) a type of ulcer

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Etymology 6

Proper noun

 m

1. a god who personifies a certain body of water [Late Period]

Etymology 7

Verb

1. (transitive) to fend off [Pyramid Texts]

Etymology 8

Verb

1. perfective of zꜣj

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Pyramid Texts]	[Pyramid Texts]

Etymology 9

Noun

 m

1. the object depicted in the hieroglyph , a type of shepherd’s mat

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative forms:

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Old Kingdom]

Etymology 10

Noun

 m

1. guard
2. troop of soldiers
3. association of people in some particular occupation
4. phyle, group, division

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Old Kingdom]	[Old Kingdom]	[since the Middle Kingdom]	[Middle Kingdom]	[Middle Kingdom]

Etymology 11

Noun

 m

1. Used in reference to cattle. The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
   1. A herd
   2. A barrier

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

Etymology 12

Noun

 m

1. a title of some kind [18th dynasty]

Alternative forms

Alternative forms:

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

Etymology 13

Noun

 m

1. a type of field

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Etymology 14

Noun

 m

1. The object depicted in the hieroglyph . The meaning of this term is uncertain.

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Late Period]

Etymology 15

Verb

1. perfective of zꜣw (“to greet, watch for”)

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

jzꜣ

References

• Erman, Adolf, Grapow, Hermann (1926–1961) Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN