לווייתן

Hebrew

Etymology

Perhaps a compound of לִוְיָה (livyá, garland, wreath) +‎ ־תָּן (-tan, agentive suffix), meaning “the tortuous one”; in any case likely related to the root Hebrew לוה (wind, turn, twist). Likely also related to Ugaritic 𐎍𐎚𐎐 (ltn).

Pronunciation

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Noun

לווייתן / לִוְיָתָן • (livyāt̮ānm (plural indefinite לווייתנים / לִוְיְתָנִים)

  1. whale
  2. (biblical, mythology) leviathan
  3. (colloquial) "big fish" (senior gangster)

Descendants

  • Translingual: Livyatan
  • Yiddish: לוויתן (levyoson)
  • Ancient Greek: Λευιάθαν (Leuiáthan)
    • Middle Russian: Елеафамъ (Jeleafam)
    • Old Ruthenian: левиаѳа́мъ (leviafám)
    • Russian: левиафа́н (leviafán)
  • Late Latin: leviathan
  • Aramaic: לויתן

References

Further reading