צבע

Aramaic

Alternative forms

Verb

צְבַע • (ṣəbaʿ)

  1. to dip
  2. to moisten
  3. to dye, to color/colour

References

  • ṣbˁ”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

Hebrew

Root
צ־ב־ע (ts-b-ʿ)
6 terms

Etymology

Compare Arabic صَبَغَ (ṣabaḡa, to dye), Aramaic צְבַע (ṣəbaʿ, to dip, to dye), Akkadian 𒍝𒁍𒌑 (/⁠ṣabû⁠/, to soak, to bathe), Ge'ez ጸብኀ (ṣäbḫä, to dip).

Pronunciation

Noun

צֶבַע • (tséva', ṣéḇaʿm (plural indefinite צְבָעִים) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

  1. color, colour
  2. paint
  3. dye, colourant

Noun

צַבָּע • (tsabá', ṣabbāʿm (plural indefinite צַבָּעִים, feminine counterpart צַבָּעִית) [pattern: קַטָּל]

  1. a (male) painter.

Verb

צָבַע • (tsavá', ṣāḇaʿ) (pa'al construction)

  1. (he) painted; (he) colored, (he) dyed

Conjugation

Conjugation of צָבַע (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs)
non-finite forms to-infinitive לצבוע / לִצְבֹּעַ
action noun צְבִיעָה
passive participle צָבוּעַ
finite forms singular plural
m f m f
past first צָבַעְתִּי צָבַעְנוּ
second צָבַעְתָּ צָבַעְתְּ צְבַעְתֶּם1 צְבַעְתֶּן1
third צָבַע צָבְעָה צָבְעוּ
present צוֹבֵעַ צוֹבַעַת צוֹבְעִים צוֹבְעוֹת
future first אֶצְבַּע נִצְבַּע
second תִּצְבַּע תִּצְבְּעִי תִּצְבְּעוּ תִּצְבַּעְנָה2
third יִצְבַּע תִּצְבַּע יִצְבְּעוּ תִּצְבַּעְנָה2
imperative צְבַע צִבְעִי צִבְעוּ צְבַעְנָה2

1 Pronounced צָבַעְתֶּם and צָבַעְתֶּן in informal Modern Hebrew.
2 Rare in Modern Hebrew.

Derived terms