שממית

Hebrew
Root
שׂ־מ־ם (ś-m-m)

Noun

שְׂמָמִית • (smamít) f (plural indefinite שממיות, singular construct שממיות־)

  1. (Modern Hebrew) A gecko: any lizard of family Gekkonidae.
  2. (Biblical Hebrew, hapax) The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
    • Tanach, Proverbs 30:28:
      שְׂמָמִית בְּיָדַיִם תְּתַפֵּשׂ וְהִיא בְּהֵיכְלֵי מֶלֶךְ׃
      The smamít with hands [graps; can be grasped], yet it is in palaces of kings.
    1. (most likely) A lizard, possibly a gecko or stellion.[1]
    2. A spider.[2][3]
    3. (doubtful) A humanlike animal (monkey or ape).[4]
    4. (doubtful) A swallow.

Usage notes

For discussion of the biblical meaning, see Delitzsch and Forti.

Derived terms

References
  1. Septuagint, 300–200 BC, Proverbs 30:28
  2. Rashi (c. 1100) Rashi on Sanhedrin (in Hebrew), 103b:10
  3. The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 1611, →OCLC, Proverbs 30:28.
  4. Moses Kimchi [historically attributed to Abraham ibn Ezra] (c. 1160) Ibn Ezra on Proverbs (in Hebrew), 30:28

Further reading
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