כלום

Hebrew

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “see extensive etymology section at Hebrew Wiktionary”)

The popular folk etymology כְּ־ (k'-, “like”, comparative prefix) + *לוּם (lúm), a supposedly rare word meaning "olive pit", thus "something as small as an olive pit; anything at all," is unsupported.

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /klum/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /kă.ˈlum/

• Audio:

  (file)

Pronoun

כְּלוּם • (k'lum)

1. anything

Usage notes

• Used with a negative word, so the combination means "nothing".

Synonyms

• שום דבר

Particle

כְּלוּם • (k'lum)

1. (archaic) Used to turn a statement of fact into a question of fact.
   • Talmud Bavli, Maseches Pesachim 87b

     כלום אדם זורע סאה אלא להכניס כמה כורין

     A man sows a se'a but to gain several korim...? [i.e., Does a man sow a small amount for a reason other than to gain many times the original amount?]

Synonyms

• הֲ־
• הֲאִם

Anagrams

• כולם