גן

Hebrew

Root
ג־נ־ן (g-n-n)

Etymology 1

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

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

• Audio:

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Noun

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

1. 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

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

Derived terms

• גינה / גִּנָּה
• גַּן בּוֹטָנִי
• גַּן יְלָדִים
• גַּן עֵדֶן
• רָמַת גַּן (ramat gan)

Related terms

• גינן / גִּנֵּן
• גַּנָּן

Etymology 2

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”).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ɡɛn/

Noun

גֶּן • (gen) m (plural indefinite גֶּנִים, singular construct גֶּן־)

1. (genetics) a gene

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew גַּן.

Noun

גן • (gan) m, plural גנים (ganem)

1. (especially in Judaic contexts) garden

Synonyms

• גאָרטן (gortn)

Derived terms

• גן־עדן (gan-eydn)