צבע

Aramaic

Alternative forms

• ܨܒܱܥ (ṣbaʿ)

Verb

צְבַע • (ṣəbaʿ)

1. to dip
2. to moisten
3. to dye, to color/colour

References

• “ṣbˁ”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

Hebrew

Root
צ־ב־ע (ṣ-b-ʿ)

Etymology

Compare Arabic صَبَغَ (ṣabaḡa, “to dye”), Aramaic צְבַע (ṣəbaʿ, “to dip, to dye”), Akkadian 𒍝𒁍𒌑 (/⁠ṣabû⁠/, “to soak, to bathe”), Ge'ez ጸብኀ (ṣäbḫä, “to dip”).

Pronunciation

• (צֶבַע, tsévaʿ)
  • (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): [ˈt͡se̞vä(ʕ)]

Noun

צֶבַע • (tsévaʿ) m (plural indefinite צְבָעִים) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

1. color, colour
2. paint
3. dye, colourant

Noun

צַבָּע • (tsabáʿ) m (plural indefinite צַבָּעִים, feminine counterpart צַבָּעִית) [pattern: קַטָּל]

1. a (male) painter.

Verb

צָבַע • (tsaváʿ) third-singular masculine past (pa'al construction)

1. (he) painted; (he) colored, (he) dyed

Conjugation

Conjugation of צָבַע (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs) 

non-finite forms		to-infinitive: לצבוע / לִצְבֹּעַ action noun: צְבִיעָה passive participle: צָבוּעַ
finite forms		singular		plural
		m.	f.	m.	f.
past	first	צָבַעְתִּי		צָבַעְנוּ
	second	צָבַעְתָּ	צָבַעְתְּ	צְבַעְתֶּם1	צְבַעְתֶּן1
	third	צָבַע	צָבְעָה	צָבְעוּ
present		צוֹבֵעַ	צוֹבַעַת	צוֹבְעִים	צוֹבְעוֹת
future	first	אֶצְבַּע		נִצְבַּע
	second	תִּצְבַּע	תִּצְבְּעִי	תִּצְבְּעוּ	תִּצְבַּעְנָה2
	third	יִצְבַּע	תִּצְבַּע	יִצְבְּעוּ	תִּצְבַּעְנָה2
imperative		צְבַע	צִבְעִי	צִבְעוּ	צְבַעְנָה2
notes		Pronounced צָבַעְתֶּם and צָבַעְתֶּן in informal Modern Hebrew. Rare in Modern Hebrew.

Derived terms

• צִבְעוֹנִי m (tsivʿoní, “colorful, colourful”)