פתן

Hebrew

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *baṯan-, likely through Aramaic (compare Classical Syriac ܦܱܬܢܳܐ), as Hebrew's characteristic sound shifts are absent.

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /peˈten/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /peˈθen/
• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /pʰeˈθen/

Noun

פֶּתֶן‎ • (peṯen) m (plural indefinite פֶּתֶנִים)

1. cobra, snake of the family Elapidae
   • Tanach, Psalms 91:13, with translation of the New International Version:

     עַל-שַׁחַל וָפֶתֶן, תִּדְרֹךְ; תִּרְמֹס כְּפִיר וְתַנִּין.

     ʿal-ŝaḥal vāpeṯen, tiḏroḵ; tirmos kp̄īr vtannīn.

     You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

References

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