גן

Hebrew edit

Root
ג־נ־ן (g-n-n)

Etymology 1 edit

Probably a nominal from the same root as the Ancient Hebrew verb גָּנַן (“to defend, to protect”), and so having the etymological sense of "a protected thing". Compare Arabic جَنَّة (janna).

Pronunciation edit

(Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ɡan/
(file)

Noun edit

גַּן • (gan) m (plural indefinite גַּנִּים, singular construct גַּן־, plural construct גַּנֵּי־) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

a garden
- Tanach, Song of Songs 5:1, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
  בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה
  báti l-ganí aḥotí kalá
  I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride

Usage notes edit

The definite form of this noun is הַגָּן (hagán).

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Etymology 2 edit

From German Gen. Accepted by the Academy of the Hebrew Language for similarity to the root ג־נ־ן (g-n-n), which forms words relating to gardening and kindergartens. The German term was coined by Wilhelm Ludvig Johannsen from Ancient Greek γενεά (geneá, “generation, descent”) from the aorist infinitive of γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”).