א־ב־ק

Hebrew

Etymology

The “dust” meaning is cognate to Aramaic א־ב־ק (ʾ-b-q, “dust”).^[1] Compare also Arabic ء ب ق (ʔ b q, “fleeing, evaporating”),^[2] but the semantic link may be considered tenuous.^[3]

Various connections between the “dust” and “wrestling” senses have been proposed, but some sources treat them as separate roots.^[2] The latter may relate to ח־ב־ק (ḥ-b-q, “embracing”); compare Aramaic אבק (“to attach”).

Root

א־ב־ק • (ʾ-b-q)

Related to dust, powder.
Related to wrestling.

Derived terms

Hebrew terms belonging to the root א־ב־ק (0 c, 5 e)

References

^ “ˀbq”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Klein, Ernest (1987) A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English‎^[1], Jerusalem: Carta, →ISBN, page 4b
^ A. Murtonen (1989) “ʾBQ II”, in Hebrew in Its West Semitic Setting, Part I, Section Bb, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 81