קיטר

Hebrew

Root
ק־ט־ר (q-ṭ-r)
6 terms

Etymology

From the Hebrew root ק־ט־ר (q-t-r), related to burning or smoking. See also Arabic قَطَرَ (qaṭara, “to drip, to distill”).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ki.ˈteʁ/

Verb

קיטר / קִטֵּר • (kitér) (pi'el construction, future יְקַטֵּר)

1. to offer incense, (generally): to give sacrificial offerings

   Synonym: הִקְטִיר (hiqtír)

   • Tanach, 2 Kings 23:5, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וְהִשְׁבִּית אֶת־הַכְּמָרִים אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה וַיְקַטֵּר בַּבָּמוֹת בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּמְסִבֵּי יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְאֶת־הַמְקַטְּרִים לַבַּעַל לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵחַ וְלַמַּזָּלוֹת וּלְכֹל צְבָא הַשָּׁמָיִם׃

     v'hishbít et hak'marím ashér natnú malkhé y'hudá vay'katér babamót b'aré y'hudá u'msibé y'rushaláyim v'et ham'katrím labá'al lashémesh v'layaréakh v'lamazalót ul'khól ts'vá hashamáyim.

     And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to offer in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that offered unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.

   • Tanach, Jeremiah 11:13, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     כִּי מִסְפַּר עָרֶיךָ הָיוּ אֱלֹהֶיךָ יְהוּדָה וּמִסְפַּר חֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם שַׂמְתֶּם מִזְבְּחוֹת לַבֹּשֶׁת מִזְבְּחוֹת לְקַטֵּר לַבָּעַל

     ki mispár arékha hayú elohékha y'hudá umispár khutsót y'rushaláyim samtém mizb'khót labóshet mizb'khót l'katér labá'al

     For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to offer unto Baal.

2. (colloquially): to complain
   • 2020 August 1, Yehonatan Yifraḥ, quoting Betzalel Smotrich, “ח״כ קרעי: "יש לבטל את בג״צ ולהקים בית משפט לחוקה" [MK Qarai: The Supreme Court must be abolished and a Constitutional Court established]”, in ערוץ 20 [Channel 20]‎^[1], Jerusalem: Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council:

     לא מספיק לקטר ולנאום על תחלואי מערכת המשפט. אפשר וצריך גם לתקן!

     lo maspík l'katér v'lin'óm al takh'lu'é ma'arékhet hamishpát. efshár v'tsaríkh gam l'takén!

     It is not enough to complain and talk about the ailments of the justice system. We can and must fix it!

3. (literary) smoked a pipe
4. (slang) let off steam, vented

Conjugation

Conjugation of קיטר / קִטֵּר (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs)

non-finite forms		to-infinitive		לְקַטֵּר
		action noun		קיטור / קִטּוּר
finite forms		singular		plural
		m	f	m	f
past	first	קיטרתי / קִטַּרְתִּי		קיטרנו / קִטַּרְנוּ
	second	קיטרת / קִטַּרְתָּ	קיטרת / קִטַּרְתְּ	קיטרתם / קִטַּרְתֶּם	קיטרתן / קִטַּרְתֶּן
	third	קיטר / קִטֵּר	קיטרה / קִטְּרָה	קיטרו / קִטְּרוּ
present		מְקַטֵּר	מְקַטֶּרֶת	מְקַטְּרִים	מְקַטְּרוֹת
future	first	אֲקַטֵּר		נְקַטֵּר
	second	תְּקַטֵּר	תְּקַטְּרִי	תְּקַטְּרוּ	תְּקַטֵּרְנָה1
	third	יְקַטֵּר	תְּקַטֵּר	יְקַטְּרוּ	תְּקַטֵּרְנָה1
imperative		קַטֵּר	קַטְּרִי	קַטְּרוּ	קַטֵּרְנָה1

¹ Rare in Modern Hebrew.