אבוקה

Hebrew

Etymology

Perhaps a shortened form of *אבהוקה (avhuka), from the root ב־ה־ק (b-h-q), compare with בָּהַק (bahák, “to shine, glow”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

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Noun

אֲבוּקָה • (avuka) f (plural indefinite אֲבוּקוֹת)

1. torch (a stick of wood or plant fibres twisted together, with one end soaked in a flammable substance such as resin or tallow and set on fire, which is held in the hand, put into a wall bracket, or stuck into the ground, and used chiefly as a light source)
   • 1916, Hayim Nahman Bialik, In Honour of Hanukkah 1–4:

     אָבִי הִדְלִיק נֵרוֹת לִי / וְשַׁמָּשׁ לוֹ אֲבוּקָה – / יוֹדְעִים אַתֶּם לִכְבוֹד מִי? / לִכְבוֹד הַחֲנֻכָּה!

     My father has lit candles for me / And his shamash a torch – / Do you know for the honour of whom? / For the honour of Hanukkah!

Synonyms

• לַפִּיד (lapíd)

References

• Jastrow, Marcus (1903) A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature, London, New York: Luzac & Co., G.P. Putnam's Sons

Further reading

• לפיד on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he