š m ʿ
29 lemmas · 7 languages
soundAll three consonants are regularT Gen.16.11
Themes:hear· سَمِعَ · שָׁמַע·6hearing·4wax·3meaning·2watershed·2
POS shape:noun·15verb·10adj·2name·1conj·1
This root is attested across 7 Semitic languages in our index. Each section below shows representative lemmas; attested means a Wiktionary editor explicitly tagged the root, inferredmeans we derived it mechanically from the word's consonantal skeleton.
Etymology treehow this root diverged from Proto-Semitic through the family
*š-m-ʿProto-Semitic
West Semitic
Central Semitic
Northwest Semitic
Ugaritic𐎌𐎎𐎓𐎌 𐎎 𐎓— to hear, listen
Canaanite
Hebrewמַשְׁמָעשׁ מ ע— meaning that, therefore
Aramaic
Imperial Aramaicשְׁמַעש מ ע— to hear
Syriacܫܡܥܫ ܡ ܥ— to hear
Assyrian NAܫܵܡܹܥܫ ܡ ܥ— to hear
Arabic
Arabicشَمْعش م ع— wax
South Semitic
Ethio-Semitic
Amharicሻማܫ ܡ ዐ— candle
Branch structure: Huehnergard (2005), Rubin (2010). The reconstructed Proto-Semitic form is computed on the fly from the cognate set's majority reflex pattern.
Ugaritic
irregular reflexug · 1 lemma- to hear, listenFrom Proto-Semitic *šamaʿ-.
Imperial Aramaic
arc · 1 lemma- to hearFrom Proto-Semitic *šamaʕ-.
Classical Syriac
syc · 2 lemmas- to hearFrom Proto-Semitic *šamaʕ-. Cognate with Akkadian 𒄑𒌇 (šemû), Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa), Hebrew שָׁמַע (šāmaʿ), and Ugaritic 𐎌𐎎𐎓 (šmʿ).
- Simeon, Simon (Biblical figure)From Hebrew שִׁמְעוֹן (Šimʿôn).
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
aii · 8 lemmas- to hearFrom Aramaic שֲׁמַע (šămaʿ), from Proto-Semitic *šamaʕ-; compare Akkadian 𒄑𒌇 (šemû), Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa), Hebrew שָׁמַע (shamá'), and Ugaritic 𐎌𐎎𐎓 (šmʿ).
▸ 1 derivation
- derivedܡܲܫܡܸܥmašmiˁ
- to make hearInherited from Aramaic אַשְׁמֵּע (ʾašmeʿ), causative stem of the verb ܫܵܡܹܥ (šāmēˁ, “to hear”). The dialectal sense of “to listen to” is inherited from Aramaic אֵשְׁתּמַע (ʔeštmaʿ), the Gt/ethpheal stem restructured as a C/aphael stem verb; cognate of Arabic أَسْمَعَ (ʔasmaʕa), Hebrew הִשְׁמִיעַ (hishmía).
- sense of hearingCompare Arabic سَمْع (samʕ) and Hebrew שְׁמִיעָה (shmi'á).
▸ 2 derivations
- derivedܫܸܡܥܵܝܵܐšimˁāyā
- derivedܠܥܸܠ ܡܸܢ ܫܸܡܥܵܐlˁil min šimˁā
- glasses, eyeglasses, spectacles (frames bearing two lenses worn in front of the eyes)Tool noun coined from the feminine characteristic adjective of ܚܵܙܹܐ (ḥāzē, “to see”); possibly a calque of Arabic نَظَّارَة (naẓẓāra).
- well-hearingActive noun and adjective of the verb ܫܵܡܹܥ (šāmēˁ, “to hear”).
- listener (especially to a speech or a broadcast)Active noun and adjective of the verb ܫܵܡܹܥ (šāmēˁ, “to hear”).
- instance of hearingInstance noun of the verb ܫܵܡܹܥ (šāmēˁ, “to hear”); compare Hebrew שְׁמִיעָה (sh'mi'á).
- headphone, headphones, headset (cushioned speaker placed over the ear)Tool noun and agent noun coined from the feminine characteristic adjective of ܫܵܡܹܥ (šāmēˁ, “to hear”); possibly a calque of Arabic سَمَّاعَة (sammāʕa).
Hebrew
he · 8 lemmas- meaning that, therefore
- to be heard
- to cause to hear
- discipline
- a rumor
▸ 2 derivations
- derivedשְׁמוּעָה רְחוֹקָהshmu'á rekhoká
- relatedמַה נִּשְׁמַע?má nishmá
- hearing
- meaning
▸ 3 derivations
- derivedחד משמעיkhad-mashma'í
- derivedדו משמעיdu-mashma'í
- derivedמַשְׁמָעוּתִיmashma'utí
- audioFrom Proto-Semitic *šamiʕ-. Cognate with Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa, “to hear”).
Arabic
ar · 8 lemmas- waxFrom the root ش م ع (š m ʕ) meaning "to spread or disperse", hence melting wax.
- to play, to sport, to gameFrom the root ش م ع (š m ʕ) in the sense of "to disperse or go away", "to be away from work", hence "to be at leisure".
- chandlerOccupational noun from the root ش م ع (š m ʕ).
- singulative of شَمْع (šamʕ)
- watershed, dipped in a protective layerDerived from the passive participle of شَمَّعَ (šammaʕa, “to wax”).
- watershed canvas, tarpaulin, oilcloth, oilskinDerived from the passive participle of شَمَّعَ (šammaʕa, “to wax”).
- to wax, to rub or smear with waxProbably denominal.
Amharic
am · 1 lemma- candleBorrowed from Arabic شَمْع (šamʕ, “candle, wax”).