מאין

Hebrew

Etymology

Regressive assimilation (followed by degemination and compensatory lengthening) of earlier *מִן אַיִן (*min ʾáyin). Compare מִנַּיִן (mináyin), with progressive assimilation. Cognate with Arabic مِنْ أَيْنَ (min ʔayna).

Adverb

מֵאַיִן • (me'áyin)

1. from where, whence

   מֵאַיִן בָּאתָּ?

   me'áyin báta?

   Where did you come from? (to a man)

   • Tanach, Joshua 2:4, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה אֶת־שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וַתִּצְפְּנוֹ וַתֹּאמֶר כֵּן בָּאוּ אֵלַי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי מֵאַיִן הֵמָּה׃

     vatikákh ha'ishá 'et-sh'néi ha'anashím vatitsp'nó vatómer kén bá'u 'eláy ha'anashím v'ló yadá'ti me'áyin héma.
     wattiqqaḥ hāʾiššā ʾeṯ-šənē hāʾănāšīm wattiṣpənō wattṓmer kēn bā́ʾū hāʾănāšīm wəlō yāḏáʿtī mēʾáyin hḗmmā.

     And the woman took the two men, and hid them; and she said: ‘Yea, the men came unto me, but I knew not whence they were;

Synonyms

• מִנַּיִן (mináyin)
• מֵאֵיפֹה (me'éifo) (colloquial)

Antonyms

• לְאָן (l'án)