simtum

See also: šīmtum

Akkadian

Root
w-s-m
1 term

Etymology

From wasāmum.

Pronunciation

• (Old Babylonian) IPA^(key): /ˈsim.tum/

Noun

simtum f (construct state simat, plural simātum) (from Old Babylonian on)

1. fitting, suitable, seemly, appropriate, necessary (said of people or things)

   𒄞𒄭𒀀 𒋛𒈠𒀜 𒂍𒃲 𒌑𒌌 𒄿𒁀𒀸𒅆

   [alpū simat ēkallim ul ibašši]

   GUD.ḪI.A si-ma-at E₂.GAL u₂-ul i-ba-aš-ši

   There are no oxen suitable for the palace.

   • 1755–1750 BCE, King Hammurabi of Babylon, translated by CDLI, Hammurabi Code‎^[1], The Louvre, Prologue, lines III 25-27:

     𒁁𒈝 𒍣𒈠𒀜 𒄩𒀜𒁲𒅎 𒅇 𒀀𒄀𒅎

     [bēlum simat ḫaṭṭim u agêm]

     be-lum si₂-ma-at ḫa-aṭ-ṭi-im u₃ a-ge-em

     the lord (Hammurapi), worthy of the sceptre and crown

2. symbol, proper sign, characteristic

Alternative forms

• simtu (non-mimated)

Cuneiform spellings

Logograms	Phonetic
𒈨𒋼 (ME.TE)	𒋛𒅎𒌈 (si-im-tum) 𒋛𒈠𒀀𒌈 (si-ma-a-tum) (plural) 𒋛𒈠𒀀𒌓 (si-ma-a-tu₂) (plural)

References

• “simtu”, in The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (CAD)‎^[2], Chicago: University of Chicago Oriental Institute, 1956–2011
• Black, Jeremy, George, Andrew, Postgate, Nicholas (2000) “simtu(m)”, in A Concise Dictionary of Akkadian, 2nd corrected edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag