אלף

See also: אַלף and אל״ף

Hebrew

Etymology 1

Root
א־ל־ף (ʾ-l-p)

From Proto-Semitic *ʔalp- (“thousand; cattle”). Cognate with Arabic ألف (ʔalf).

Pronunciation

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔalpʰ/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔɛlɛf/, [ˈʔɛːlɛf]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔalaf/, [ˈʔæːlæf]
• (Persian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈ(ʔ)elef/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈɛlɛf/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈ(ʔ)elef/

Numeral

Hebrew numbers ^(edit)

←  100	←  900	1,000	1,000,000 (106)  →	1,000,000,000 (109)  →
		100
Cardinal: אלף (élef)

אֶלֶף • (élef) m or f (dual אלפיים / אַלְפַּיִם, plural אֲלָפִים, Biblical Hebrew pausal form אָלֶף) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

1. thousand, one thousand
   • Tanach, Exodus 12:37, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיִּסְעוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרַעְמְסֵס סֻכֹּתָה כְּשֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי הַגְּבָרִים לְבַד מִטָּף׃

     vayis'ú vné yisraél meramsés sukóta k'shésh meót élef raglí hagvarím l'vád mitáf

     And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children.

Noun

אֶלֶף • (élef) m (plural indefinite אֲלָפִים, singular construct אֶלֶף־, plural construct אַלְפֵי־) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

1. millennium
2. thousandship, a part of thousand of a tribe

   Synonym: מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpakhá)

   • Tanach, Numbers 1:16, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     אֵלֶּה קְרוּאֵי (קריאי_כתיב) הָעֵדָה נְשִׂיאֵי מַטּוֹת אֲבוֹתָם רָאשֵׁי אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם׃

     éleh kru'é ha'edá nsi'é matót avotám rashé alfé yisraél hem.

     These were the elect of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.

3. (chiefly in the plural) head of cattle, animal living in company
   • Tanach, Proverbs 14:04, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     בְּאֵין אֲלָפִים אֵבוּס בָּר וְרָב־תְּבוּאוֹת בְּכֹחַ שׁוֹר׃

     b'én alafím evús bar v'rav tvu'ót b'khóakh shor.

     Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; But much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔalpʰ/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔɔːlɛf/, [ˈʔɔːlɛf]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈʔɔlaf/, [ˈʔɔːlæf]
• (Persian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈ(ʔ)ɒlef/
• (Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈɔlɛf/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈ(ʔ)alef/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

אָלֶף • (álef) f

1. Alternative spelling of אל״ף

Derived terms

• אָלֶפְבֵּית (alefbet)

Etymology 3

Verb

אִלֵּף • (iléf) (pi'el construction, passive counterpart אֻלַּף)

1. defective spelling of אילף

Yiddish

Etymology 1

From Hebrew אלף.

Numeral

אלף • (elef)

1. thousand (pl. אַלפֿים)

Etymology 2

Unpointed form of אַלף.

Noun

אלף • (alef)

1. (nonstandard) Unpointed form of אַלף (alef).

References

• Steven A. Jacobson (1998) A Guide to the More Common Hebraic Words in Yiddish, 5th edition, Fairbanks, AK: National Yiddish Book Center, →ISBN, page 23