nūnum

Akkadian

Etymology

Possibly from Sumerian or a loanword from elsewhere into Semitic languages, also found in an Aramaic נוּנָא (nūnā) / ܢܽܘܢܳܐ (nūnā, “fish”) and Mishnaic Hebrew נוּן (nun, “fish”). (A Proto-Semitic *nūn- (“fish”) sometimes posited is hardly possible, in as much as two identical consonants linked by a vowel are a strange patterning for a Semitic noun.)

Pronunciation

Noun

nūnum m (plural nūnū)

  1. fish
  2. (astronomy) Piscis Austrinus

Alternative forms
Cuneiform spellings
Logograms Phonetic
  • 𒉡𒉡𒌝 (nu-nu-um)
  • 𒉡𒌑𒉡 (nu-u₂-nu)
  • 𒉡𒉡 (nu-nu)

References
  • “nūnu”, in The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (CAD)‎, volume 11, N, part 2, Chicago: University of Chicago Oriental Institute, 1980
  • Huehnergard, John (2011) A Grammar of Akkadian (Harvard Semitic Studies; 45), 3rd edition, Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, page 611
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