Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word 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 ofאדם, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Comparable to Phoenician𐤀𐤃𐤌(ʾdm, “man, earthling”), Ugaritic𐎀𐎄𐎎(ảdm, “man; red earth, red ochre”), Old South Arabian𐩱𐩵𐩣(ʾdm, “vassals, subjects”), Ge'ezዶም(dom, “slave”), Akkadian𒀀𒁕𒄠𒈬(a-da-am-mu/adamu/, “blood”), Akkadian𒀀𒁕𒈠𒌈(a-da-ma-tum/adamātu/, “dark red earth or dye”), Akkadian𒀀𒁕𒈬(a-da-mu/adamu/, “a red garment”), Akkadian𒀀𒁕𒈬(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”.