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אדם. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
אדם, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
אדם in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
אדם you have here. The definition of the word
אדם will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
אדם, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Aramaic
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Proper noun
אדם • (adám)
- (biblical) Adam.
- a male given name
Hebrew
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Comparable to Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤌 (ʾdm, “man, earthling”), Ugaritic 𐎀𐎄𐎎 (ảdm, “man; red earth, red ochre”), Old South Arabian 𐩱𐩵𐩣 (ʾdm, “vassals, subjects”), Ge'ez ዶም (dom, “slave”), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒄠𒈬 (a-da-am-mu /adamu/, “blood”), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒈠𒌈 (a-da-ma-tum /adamātu/, “dark red earth or dye”), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒈬 (a-da-mu /adamu/, “a red garment”), Akkadian 𒀀𒁕𒈬 (a-da-mu /adamu/, “an important or noble person”). The meaning range points to these words being extensions from Proto-Semitic *dam- (“blood”), compare the Palestinian Aramaic forms of it אדם / אידם / ܐܕܡ (ʾəḏem, “blood”). The meaning development could be any of the following:
- “blood” → “red earth”, “red ochre” → “earthling”;
- “blood” → “man”, as blood is a main ingredient of humans;
- “blood” → “red earth”, “red ochre” → “the dye to paint idols” → hence “an idol” → “an effigy, a likeness” → “a man”;
- “blood” → “blood sacrifice to appease an idol” → hence “an idol” → “an effigy, a likeness” → “a man”;
- “blood” → “red” → “to show red blood in the face, e.g. to blush” → “a human”.
Compare Arabic دُمْيَة (dumya, “statue, idol; effigy, likeness; doll, puppet”), دَمَّ (damma, “to bedaub”).
Noun
אָדָם • (adám) m
- man, human
- אָדָם לְאָדָם זְאֵב ― adám l'adám z'év ― Man is a wolf to man. (cf. homō hominī lupus)
Usage notes
For plural, בני אדם or אנשים can be used.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Descendants
Proper noun
אָדָם • (adám) m
- a male given name, equivalent to English Adam
Derived terms
References
Etymology 2
Adjective
אָדֹם • (adóm) (feminine אֲדֻמָּה, masculine plural אֲדֻמִּים, feminine plural אֲדֻמּוֹת)
- defective spelling of אדום ('adóm, “red”).
Noun
אֹדֶם • (ódem) m
- defective spelling of אודם (ódem, “redness”).
Anagrams