שפה
Hebrew
Etymology
From Proto-Semitic *śapat- (“lip”). Compare also Akkadian 𒅻 (šaptum), Classical Syriac ܣܶܦ݂ܬ݁ܳܐ (sep̄ṯā), Ugaritic 𐎌𐎔𐎚 (špt) and Arabic شَفَة (šafa).
Noun
שָׂפָה • (safá) f (dual indefinite שפתיים \\ שְׂפָתַיִם, plural indefinite שָׂפוֹת, singular construct שְׂפַת־)
- Language: a system of communication.
- (uncountable) Language, speech: choice of words, manner of speech.
- Lip: protrusion near the mouth.
- Lip: the rim of a container.
Usage notes
- The plural form שָׂפוֹת is used for languages (whether two or more than two languages). The dual form שְׂפָתַיִם is used for (two or more) lips (the body part).
Declension
Declension of שָׂפָה
| Number | Isolated forms | With possessive pronouns | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Form | Person | singular | plural | |||
| m. | f. | m. | f. | ||||
| singular | indefinite | שָׂפָה | first | שְׂפָתִי | שְׂפָתֵנוּ | ||
| definite | הַשָּׂפָה | second | שְׂפָתְךָ | שְׂפָתֵךְ | שְׂפַתְכֶם | שְׂפַתְכֶן | |
| construct | שְׂפַת־ | third | שְׂפָתוֹ | שְׂפָתָהּ | שְׂפָתָם | שְׂפָתָן | |
| dual | indefinite | שפתיים / שְׂפָתַיִם | first | שפתיי / שְׂפָתַי | שְׂפָתֵינוּ | ||
| definite | השפתיים / הַשְּׂפָתַיִם | second | שְׂפָתֶיךָ | שפתייך / שְׂפָתַיִךְ | שִׂפְתֵיכֶם | שִׂפְתֵיכֶן | |
| construct | שִׂפְתֵי־ | third | שְׂפָתָיו | שְׂפָתֶיהָ | שִׂפְתֵיהֶם | שִׂפְתֵיהֶן | |
| plural | indefinite | שָׂפוֹת | first | שפותיי / שְׂפוֹתַי | שְׂפוֹתֵינוּ | ||
| definite | הַשָּׂפוֹת | second | שְׂפוֹתֶיךָ | שפותייך / שְׂפוֹתַיִךְ | שְׂפוֹתֵיכֶם | שְׂפוֹתֵיכֶן | |
| construct | שְׂפוֹת־ | third | שְׂפוֹתָיו | שְׂפוֹתֶיהָ | שְׂפוֹתָם | שְׂפוֹתָן | |
Synonyms
- (system of communication): לָשׁוֹן f (lashón)
- (choice of words): לָשׁוֹן f (lashón)
Derived terms
- שְׂפַת אֵם (s'fat 'ém)
- שְׂפַת מִדְרָכָה (sfat midrakhá)
- שפת תכנות (sfat tekhnot)
References
- H8193 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible