nēšum

Akkadian

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *naḥaš- (lion). Cognate with Arabic حَنَش (ḥanaš, snake, viper) and Biblical Hebrew נָחָשׁ (nɔḥɔš, snake).

Pronunciation

Noun

nēšum m (plural nēšū) (from Old Babylonian on)

  1. lion
    Synonym: (poetic) lābum (lion)
  2. (astronomy) Leo (constellation)

Alternative forms

Cuneiform spellings
Logograms Phonetic
  • 𒌨𒈤 (UR.MAḪ)
  • (astronomy, omens) 𒌨𒀀 (UR.A)
  • (astronomy) 𒀯𒌨𒀀 (mulUR.A)
  • (astronomy) 𒀯𒌨𒈤 (mulUR.MAȞ)
  • 𒉈𒋗𒌝 (ne-šu-um)
  • 𒉌𒋗𒌝 (ne₂-šu-um)
  • 𒉌𒂊𒋳 (ne₂-e-šum)
  • 𒉈𒋳 (ne-šum)

Coordinate terms

Zodiac signs in Akkadian (layout · text)

𒀯𒇽𒂠𒂷 (agrum)

𒀯𒄞𒀭𒈾 (alû)

𒀯𒈦𒋰𒁀 (māšum)

𒀯𒀠𒈜 (alluttum)

𒀯𒌨𒈤 (nēšum)

𒀯𒀊𒉆 (šer'um)

𒀯𒍣𒁀𒀭𒈾 (zibānītum)

𒀯𒄈𒋰 (zuqiqīpum)

𒀯𒉺𒉈𒊕 (pabilsag)

𒀯𒋦𒈧 (suḫurmāšu)

𒀯𒄖𒆷 (sinuntu)

𒀯𒆲𒎌 (zibbātu)

Derived terms

  • nēštum (lioness)

References

  • “nēšu”, in The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (CAD)[1], volume 11, N, part 2, Chicago: University of Chicago Oriental Institute, 1980