חרטום

Hebrew

Root
ח־ר־ט־ם (kh-r-ṭ-m)
1 term

Etymology 1

Compare Arabic خُرْطُوم (ḵurṭūm, “trunk, snout, nose”).

Noun

חַרְטוֹם • (khartóm) m (plural indefinite חַרְטוֹמִים, singular construct חַרְטוֹם־)

1. nose (of an animal), beak (of a bird)
   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Tohorot 1:2:

     הַחַרְטוֹם וְהַצִּפָּרְנַיִם מִטַּמְּאִין וּמְטַמְּאִין.

     hakhartóm v'hatsiparnáyim mitam'ín um'tam'ín

     The beak and the claws contract impurity and convey impurity.

2. tip (of an object), bow (of a ship)

Etymology 2

From Demotic ḥrj-tp, ḥr-tb (“lector priest, magician”), from Egyptian ḥrj-tp (“chief, leader, head man”), from ḥrj (“being upon”) + tp (“head”).

Noun

חרטום / חַרְטֹם • (khartóm) m (plural indefinite חרטומים / חַרְטֻמִּים, plural construct חרטומי / חַרְטֻמֵּי־)

1. magician, scholar
   • Tanach, Exodus 7:11, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיִּקְרָא גַּם פַּרְעֹה לַחֲכָמִים וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם כֵּן.

     vayiqrá gam par'ó lakhakhamím v'lam'khashpím vaya'asú gam hem khartumé mitsráyim b'lahatehém ken

     Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts.

   • Tanach, Daniel 2:2, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לִקְרֹא לַחַרְטֻמִּים וְלָאַשָּׁפִים וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים וְלַכַּשְׂדִּים לְהַגִּיד לַמֶּלֶךְ חֲלֹמֹתָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ.

     vayómer hamélekh likró lakhartumím v'la'ashafím v'lam'khashfím v'lakasdím l'hagíd lamélekh khalomotáv vayavó'u vaya'amdú lifné hamélekh

     Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

Derived terms

• כתב חרטומים (ktav khartumím, “hieroglyphics”)

References

• “חרטום” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language