This Study Dictionary includes, but is not limited to, every Hebrew word that occurs ten times or more in the Old Testament.  Browse by letter below or use the PDF version that can be searched with your browser’s ‘find on this page’ feature.  Vowel points are omitted because they were a later invention.

Each word entry in the dictionary presents the common translations and also explores how the word was most likely constructed and/or understood by the ancient writers. To learn more about word construction, see Biblical Hebrew Word Construction and The Letters and Their Meanings.  

א Alef
ב Bet
ג Gimel
ד Dalet
ה He
ו Waw and ז Zayin
ח Chet
ט Tet
י Yod
כ Kaf
ל Lamed
מ Mem
נ Nun
ס Samech
ע Ayin
פ Pe
צ Tsadi
ק Qof
ר Resh
ש Shin
ת Taw

 

Trouble determining a root word?

Common ways root words were altered include:

 

• A letter ו Waw or י  Yod was added as the 3rd letter, to convert a verb into a noun.

Ex.   מעיל  (robe) is from מעל  meaning ‘to cover’.

 

• A letter ו Waw or י  Yod was added as the 2nd letter, to convert a word into a person.

Ex.  יועץ  (counselor) is from יעץ  meaning ‘advise’ or ‘counsel’.

 

• The letter ה He was added as the last letter, to convert the word into a noun.

Ex.  חלקה  (portion) is from חלק  meaning ‘divide’.

 

• The letter מ Mem was added as the first letter, to convert a verb into a noun.

Ex.  מתן  (gift) is from נתן  meaning ‘to give’.     [ מ = physical  + נתן = give]

 

• The letters ו Waw and נ  Nun were added as the last two suffixes which together conventionally mean ‘of it’ and individually mean ‘add to… ahead’.

Ex.  יתרון  (profit) is from יתר  meaning ‘exceed/remain over’.

 

• A י Yod was converted into ו  Waw or vice versa.

Ex.  תושב  (sojourner) is from ישב  meaning ‘to dwell’.

 

• The first letter of י Yod was dropped or changed.

Ex.   הדעת  (knowledge) is from ידע  meaning ‘know’.

 

• The first letter נ Nun was dropped or changed.

Ex.  מכה  (wound) is from נכה  meaning ‘to strike’.