תל

From Proto-Semitic *tall- (“hill”).

• (Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /til/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /tel/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /tel/

• Audio:

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• Rhymes: -el

תֵּל • (tél) m (plural indefinite תִּלִּים, singular construct תֵּל־, plural construct תִּלֵּי־) [pattern: קֵטֶל]

1. (archaeology) tell (a hill or mound, originally and especially in the Middle East, over or consisting of the ruins of ancient settlements)
   • Tanach, Jeremiah 30:18:

     כֹּה  אָמַר יְהֹוָה הִנְנִי־שָׁב שְׁבוּת אׇהֳלֵי יַעֲקוֹב וּמִשְׁכְּנֹתָיו אֲרַחֵם וְנִבְנְתָה עִיר עַל־תִּלָּהּ וְאַרְמוֹן עַל־מִשְׁפָּטוֹ יֵשֵׁב׃

     Koh amár Adonái hin'ní shav shvút oholéi Ya'aqóv u-mishknotáv araḥém v-nivn'tá 'ir 'al tillah v-armon 'al mishpató yeshév.

     Thus says the LORD: behold I return the exile of the tents of Jacob, and on his dwellings I will have mercy, and the city will be built on its tell, and the palace in its just place will sit.

   • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud. Berachot, 30a:

     מַאי קְרָאָה — ״כְּמִגְדַּל דָּוִיד צַוָּארֵךְ בָּנוּי לְתַלְפִּיּוֹת״? תֵּל שֶׁכָּל פִּיּוֹת פּוֹנִים בּוֹ.

     Mai qra'á "k-migdál Davíd tsavarékh banúy l-talpiyot?" Tel she-kol piyót poním bo.

     What is the meaning of the verse "like the tower of David, built to talpiyot (Song 4:4)? The tell to which all mouths (piyot) turn.

2. (colloquial) heap, pile

• גִּבְעָה f

• תֵּל אָבִיב (Tél Avív)

• “תל” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language
• H8510 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

• תל on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he

תל • (tel)

1. (nonstandard) Unpointed form of תּל (tel).