k t b
43 lemmas · 9 languages
soundAll three consonants are regular📜 Exod.17.14
Themes:write· كَتَبَ · כָּתַב·9written·6writing·5book· كِتَاب · סֵפֶר·4writer· كَاتِب · סוֹפֵר·4
POS shape:noun·28verb·13adj·2
This root is attested across 9 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
*k-t-bProto-Semitic
West Semitic
Central Semitic
Northwest Semitic
Ugaritic𐎋𐎚𐎁𐎋 𐎚 𐎁— to write
Canaanite
Hebrewכּוֹתֵבכ ת ב— A (male) writer or author.
Aramaic
Imperial Aramaicכְּתַבכ ת ב— to write
Syriacܟܬܒܬܐܟ ܬ ܒ— handwriting
Assyrian NAܟܵܬܹܒ݂ܟ ܬ ܒ— to write
Arabic
Arabicكَتَبَك ت ب— to mark (symbols, shapes, graphs, glyphs, letters, and the like) on a surface, to write, to inscribe
South Semitic
Ethio-Semitic
Ge'ezከተበከ ተ በ— to write, to register
Amharicከተበከ ተ በ— to write, to jot down
Tigrinyaከተበከ ተ በ— to vaccinate
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 · 2 lemmas- to writeFrom Proto-West Semitic *katab-.
- documentFrom Proto-West Semitic *katab-.
Imperial Aramaic
arc · 4 lemmas- to writeFrom Proto-West Semitic *katab-.
- writing, scripture, book
- handwriting
- booklet, pamphletDiminutive of כתבא.
Classical Syriac
syc · 5 lemmas- handwritingCompare Arabic كِتَابَة (kitāba) and Hebrew כַּתָּבָה (kattāḇâ).
- writer, scribe, copyist, amanuensis, secretary, notaryFrom the root ܟ ܬ ܒ related to writing.
- book, writing, record, chronicle, register
- bookCompare Arabic كِتَاب (kitāb) and Hebrew כְּתָב (kəṯāḇ).
▸ 1 derivation
- derivedܟܬܒܘܢܐkəṯāḇōnā
- booklet, pamphletDiminutive of ܟܬܒܐ (kəṯāḇā, “book”).
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
aii · 8 lemmas- to writeInherited from Aramaic כְּתַב (kəṯaḇ), from Proto-West Semitic *katab-; compare Arabic كَتَبَ (kataba) and Hebrew כָּתַב (katáv).
- verbal noun of ܟܵܬ݂ܹܒ݂ (kāṯēḇ, “to write”); writing (abstract concept)Inherited from Aramaic כְּתָבָא (kṯāḇā); compare Arabic كِتَاب (kitāb), Hebrew כְּתָב (kəṯāḇ).
▸ 5 derivations
- derivedܒܹܝܬ݂ ܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܹ̈ܐbēṯ kṯāḇē
- derivedܕܘܼܟܵܢ ܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܹ̈ܐdūkān kṯāḇē
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ ܩܸܪ̈ܝܵܢܹܐkṯāḇ qiryānē
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܘܿܢܵܐkṯāḇōnā
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܵܐ ܩܲܕܝܼܫܵܐkṯāḇā qadīšā
- writer, authorRelated to the above; compare Arabic كَاتِب (kātib), Hebrew כּוֹתֵב (kotév).
- to dictate to, writeCausitive stem of the verb ܟܵܬ݂ܹܒ݂ (kāṯēḇ, “to write”); cognate to Hebrew הִכְתִּיב (hikhtív) and Arabic أَكْتَبَ (ʔaktaba).
- writingInstance noun of ܟܵܬ݂ܹܒ݂ (kāṯēḇ, “to write”); cognate to Arabic كِتَابَة (kitāba, “writing”) and Hebrew כַּתָּבָה (katavá, “news article, report”).
▸ 6 derivations
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܬܵܐ ܣܘܼܪܵܝܬܵܐkṯāḇtā sūrāytā
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܲܬ݂ ܐܝܼܕ݂ܵܐkṯāḇaṯ īḏā
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܲܬ݂ ܒܪܵܐܹܝܠkṯāḇaṯ brāˀēl
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܲܬ݂ ܟܘܼܡܪܹ̈ܐkṯāḇaṯ kumrē
- derivedܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܲܬ݂ ܨܸܨܹ̈ܐkṯāḇaṯ ṣiṣṣē
- derivedܟ݂ܬܵܒ݂ܬܵܐ ܠܵܛܝܼܢܵܝܬܵܐḵtāḇtā lāṭīnāytā
- writerActive noun of the verb ܟܵܬ݂ܹܒ݂ (kāṯēḇ, “to write”).
- writtenFrom Aramaic כְּתִיבָא (kṯīḇā), equivalent to the passive participle of ܟܵܬܹܒ݂ (kātēḇ, “to write”).
- cobbler’s awlInherited from Aramaic [Term?]. Tool noun and noun of place of the verb ܟܵܬ݂ܹܒ݂ (kāṯēḇ, “to write”) with the latter senses calque of Arabic مَكْتَب (maktab); compare Turoyo ܡܱܟ݂ܬܘܘܐ (mäxtuwo, “cobbler’s awl”) and Hebrew מִכְתָּב (mikhtáv, “letter”).
▸ 2 derivations
- derivedܡܲܟ݂ܬܲܒ݂ ܒܝܼܠܕܵܪܵܐmaḵtaḇ bīldārā
- derivedܫܲܠܝܼܛܘܼܬ ܡܲܟ݂ܬܒ݂ܵܐšalīṭūt maḵtḇā
Hebrew
he · 8 lemmas- A (male) writer or author.From the active participle of כתב, which evolved into a present tense under the influence of Aramaic during the lifetime of Biblical Hebrew. Compare Arabic كَاتِب (kātib).
- Masculine singular present participle and present tense of כָּתַב (katáv).From the active participle of כתב, which evolved into a present tense under the influence of Aramaic during the lifetime of Biblical Hebrew. Compare Arabic كَاتِب (kātib).
- A news article, a report.Coined by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, from the root כ־ת־ב (k-t-b).
- writtenPassive participle of כָּתַב (katáv).
- Biblical verse, passagePassive participle of כָּתַב (katáv).
- defective spelling of כיתובPassive participle of כָּתַב (katáv).
- letter (written message)
- to be written: to get written, to undergo writing, to come into written existencePassive of כָּתַב (katáv, “to write”).
Arabic
ar · 8 lemmas- to mark (symbols, shapes, graphs, glyphs, letters, and the like) on a surface, to write, to inscribeFrom Proto-West Semitic *katab-, but the sense "to write" has long been considered a borrowing from another Central Semitic language, perhaps denominally from كِتَاب (kitāb).
- verbal noun of كَتَبَ (kataba)From Proto-West Semitic *katab-, but the sense "to write" has long been considered a borrowing from another Central Semitic language, perhaps denominally from كِتَاب (kitāb).
- to dictate something to, to make someone write
- verbal noun of كَتَبَ (kataba) (form I)
- maktab, elementary schoolNoun of place from the root ك ت ب (k t b).
- verbal noun of أَكْتَبَ (ʔaktaba) (form IV)
Ge'ez
gez · 2 lemmas- to write, to registerFrom Proto-West Semitic *katab-.
- book, leaflet, document, chitProbably a borrowing from Arabic كِتَاب (kitāb).
Amharic
am · 4 lemmas- to write, to jot downFrom Proto-West Semitic *katab-.
- amulet, talisman, fetish, charm particularly wrapped in parchment or with medicinal herbsMay be a borrowing from Arabic كِتَاب (kitāb), due to the fetishization of the written word encountered with the learned.
▸ 1 derivation
- relatedአስሸንክታብʾäsšänkətab
- vaccination
- OctoberFrom English October, from Latin October
Tigrinya
ti · 2 lemmas- to vaccinateFrom Proto-West Semitic *katab-.
- amuletMay be a borrowing from Arabic كِتَاب (kitāb), due to the fetishisation of the written word encountered with Muslim scholars.