almah

English

The Almeh (1873) by Jean-Léon Gérôme

Alternative forms

• alma
• alme
• almeh

Etymology

Ultimately from Arabic عَالِمَة (ʕālima, “singer”), originally a feminine adjective meaning ‘learned, knowledgeable’, from عَلِمَ (ʕalima, “to know”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæl.mə/

Noun

almah (plural almahs or almah)

1. An Egyptian singer or dancing-girl used for entertainment; a dancing-girl, a prostitute. [from 18th c.]
   • 1998, Hélène Cixous, translated by Catherine Gillivray, Firstdays of the Year, Minnesota, page 157:

     Nostalgia is almah, the Arab dancing girl. She tells me stories of the drowned, the deadest of this world's dead.

Translations

dancing-girl

• French: almée (fr) f
• Italian: almea f
• Polish: almeja (pl) f

Anagrams

• Halma, Hamal, Mahal, amlah, halma, hamal, mahal