Classical Syriac

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sˁɛvʕɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [sˁɛvʕe(ʔ)], [sˁɛvʕɑθɑ(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܨܒܥܐ • ‎(transliteration needed) f ‎(plural ܨܒܥܬܐ or ܨܒܥܐ)

1. (anatomy) finger, toe, digit
2. finger (unit of measure equal to six barleycorns)

Inflection

Usage notes

Usually, the plural ܨܒܥܐ ‎(ṣeḇʿēʾ) is a paucal plural (from two to ten) while the plural ܨܒܥܬܐ ‎(ṣeḇʿāṯāʾ) is a multiple plural (eleven or more).

Etymology 2

From the root ܨ-ܒ-ܥ ‎(ṣ-b-ʿ) related to dyeing, from Proto-Semitic *ṣbġ. Compare Arabic صِبْغ ‎(ṣibġ) and Hebrew צֶבַע ‎(ṣéḇaʿ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sˁɛvʕɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [sˁɛvʕe(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܨܒܥܐ • ‎(transliteration needed) m ‎(plural ܨܒܥܐ)

1. color/colour, coloring/colouring

Inflection

Etymology 3

From the root ܨ-ܒ-ܥ ‎(ṣ-b-ʿ) related to dyeing, from Proto-Semitic *ṣbġ. Compare Arabic صَبْغ ‎(ṣabġ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sˁ(ə)vɑʕɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [sˁ(ə)vɑʕe(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܨܒܥܐ • ‎(transliteration needed) m ‎(plural ܨܒܥܐ)

1. dyeing, coloring/colouring
2. dye, pigment
3. (medicine) external application

Inflection

Etymology 4

From the root ܨ-ܒ-ܥ ‎(ṣ-b-ʿ) related to dyeing, from Proto-Semitic *ṣbġ. Compare Arabic صَبَّاغ ‎(ṣabbāġ) and Hebrew צַבָּע ‎(ṣabbāʿ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sˁabbɑʕɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [sˁabbɑʕe(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܨܒܥܐ • ‎(transliteration needed) m ‎(plural ܨܒܥܐ)

1. dyer

Inflection

References

• “cb(”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Costaz, Louis (2002) Dictionnaire syriaque-français : Syriac–English Dictionary, 3rd edition, Beirut: Dar El-Machreq, p. 298a
• Payne Smith, Jessie (1903) A Compendious Syriac Dictionary Founded Upon the Thesaurus Syriacus of R. Payne Smith, D.D., Oxford: Clarendon Press, p. 473a
• Sokoloff, Michael (2009) A Syriac Lexicon: A Translation from the Latin, Correction, Expansion, and Update of C. Brockelmann's Lexicon Syriacum, Winona Lake, Indiana; Piscataway, New Jersey: Eisenbrauns; Gorgias Press, p. 1272a-b