חמאה

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
ח־מ־א (kh-m-ʾ)

Ultimately from Akkadian 𒉌𒉣𒈾 (ḫimētu). Compare Classical Syriac ܚܹܐܘܬܵܐ (ḥeˀwṯā). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

חֶמְאָה • (ḥem'á) f (plural indefinite חֲמָאוֹת, singular construct חֶמְאַת־, plural construct חֶמְאוֹת־) [pattern: קִטְלָה]

1. butter
   • Tanach, Judges 5:25, with translation of the King James Version:

     מַיִם שָׁאַל חָלָב נָתָנָה; בְּסֵפֶל אַדִּירִים הִקְרִיבָה חֶמְאָה.

     maím shaál ḥaláv natána; əséfel addirím hiqríva ḥemʾá.

     He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.

Usage notes

The plural remains almost unused.

References

• “חמאה” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language
• H2529 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

Further reading

• חמאה on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he