נחש

Aramaic

Verb

נחש • (transliteration needed)

  1. to divine

Hebrew

Root
נ־ח־שׁ (n-kh-sh)
4 terms

Etymology 1

From Proto-Semitic *naḥaš- (lion). Compare Arabic حَنَش (ḥanaš, snake), Akkadian 𒌨𒈤𒊭𒆕𒋡𒊑 (nēšu ša qaqqari, snake, chameleon?, literally lion of the ground) and Ugaritic 𐎐𐎈𐎌 (nḥš, snake).

Pronunciation

Noun

נָחָשׁ • (nakháshm (plural indefinite נְחָשִׁים, singular construct נְחַשׁ־, plural construct נַחֲשֵׁי־) [pattern: קָטָל]

  1. snake (any of the suborder Serpentes of legless reptile with long, thin bodies and fork-shaped tongues)
Descendants
  • Hawaiian: naheka (learned)

References

Further reading

Etymology 2

Possibly derived from the same root as נָחָשׁ, though some scholars propose a connection to לָחַשׁ (to whisper).

Pronunciation

Noun

נַחַשׁ • (nákhashm [pattern: קֶטֶל]

  1. magic, sorcery, spell, enchantment, augury

Verb

נִחֵשׁ • (nikhésh)

  1. defective spelling of ניחש