nišum

Akkadian

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *nVš- (people). Compare Biblical Hebrew נָשִׁים (nɔším, women). Possibly related to *ʔināš- (mankind). Compare Arabic إِنْسَان (ʔinsān, human) and Biblical Hebrew אֲנָשִׁים (ʔănɔším, men).

Pronunciation

Noun

nišum f or m (plural nišū) (chiefly in the plural)

  1. mankind, people, human beings
  2. population, inhabitants, subjects (of a king)
  3. servants, serfs, retainers (belonging to an estate, palace, household, person, etc.)
  4. family, clan, members of a family

Usage notes

  • This word is found mainly in the plural.

Alternative forms

Cuneiform spellings
Logograms Phonetic
  • 𒌦𒎌 (UN.MEŠ) (plural)
  • 𒉌𒋗𒌝 (ni-šu-um)
  • 𒉌𒋗 (ni-šu)
  • 𒉌𒄿𒋗 (ni-i-šu)
  • 𒉌𒂊𒋗 (ni-e-šu)
  • 𒉌𒅖 (ni-iš) (construct state)

Derived terms

  • nišiš (like a human)
  • nišūtum (relatives)

References

  • “nišū”, in The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago (CAD), Chicago: University of Chicago Oriental Institute, 1956–2011
  • Black, Jeremy, George, Andrew, Postgate, Nicholas (2000) “nišu(m)”, in A Concise Dictionary of Akkadian, 2nd corrected edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag
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