עיר

Hebrew

Etymology 1

Compare Ugaritic 𐎓𐎗 (ʿr, city) and perhaps Sumerian 𒌷 (iri, uru, city).

The plural is derived from עָר (ar), which is of the same meaning and occurs in some biblical place names such as עָר מוֹאָב in Numbers 21:28.

Pronunciation

  • (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA(key): [ʕiːʀ̟]
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA(key): /(ʔ)iʁ/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

עִיר • (irf (plural indefinite עָרִים, singular construct עִיר־, plural construct עָרֵי־)

  1. city
Declension
Declension of עִיר
isolated forms with possessive pronouns
Number: State: form Person: singular plural
m f m f
singular indefinite עִיר first עִירִי עִירֵנוּ
definite הָעִיר second עִירְךָ עִירֵךְ עִירְכֶם עִירְכֶן
construct עִיר־ third עִירוֹ עִירָהּ עִירָם עִירָן
plural indefinite עָרִים first עריי / עָרַי עָרֵינוּ
definite הָעָרִים second עָרֶיךָ ערייך / עָרַיִךְ עָרֵיכֶם עָרֵיכֶן
construct עָרֵי־ third עָרָיו עָרֶיהָ עָרֵיהֶם עָרֵיהֶן
Derived terms

See also

Further reading

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Semitic *ʕayr-.

Noun

עַיִר • (áyirm (plural indefinite עֲיָרִים, singular construct עִיר־, plural construct עִירֵי־)

  1. donkey foal

Anagrams