גמד

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
ג־מ־ד (g-m-d)

The meaning attributed in Modern Israeli Hebrew to the Biblical Hebrew word gamád is based upon Rashi's commentary on the Hebrew Bible, specifically Ezekiel 27:11, where he interprets the plural form of גַמָּד (gamád) as synonym to נַנָּס (nanás). In Modern times, the meaning of the word has been expanded also to denote various imaginary creatures from European mythologies, especially gnomes and dwarfs.

Pronunciation

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Noun

גַּמָּד • (gamád) m (plural indefinite גַּמָּדִים, feminine counterpart גַּמֶּדֶת) [pattern: קַטָּל]

1. dwarf
2. midget
3. gnome

Synonyms

• נַנָּס (“nanás”)

Derived terms

• גמדות
• גמדי

Verb

גִּמֵּד • (giméd) (pi'el construction)

1. defective spelling of גימד

References

• “גמד” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Further reading

• גמדות on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he