Hebrew edit

 
תוכיA parrot.

Etymology edit

Unknown. If meaning "peacock", then it shares an origin with Ancient Greek ταώς (taṓs), sometimes claimed to be from Tamil தோகை (tōkai, tail (of a peacock)).

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Noun edit

תוכי / תֻּכִּי (túkim (plural indefinite תוכים / תֻּכִּים or תֻּכִּיִּים, singular construct תוכי / תֻּכִּי־, plural construct תוכי / תֻּכֵּי־ or תֻּכִּיֵּי־)

  1. (Biblical Hebrew, hapax, in the plural) The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
    1. peacocks
    2. monkeys, baboon
    • Tanach, 1 Kings 10:22, with translation of the King James Version:
      כִּי אֳנִי תַרְשִׁישׁ לַמֶּלֶךְ בַּיָּם, עִם אֳנִי חִירָם; אַחַת לְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים תָּבוֹא אֳנִי תַרְשִׁישׁ, נֹשְׂאֵת זָהָב וָכֶסֶף, שֶׁנְהַבִּים וְקֹפִים וְתֻכִּיִּים
      ki oní tarshísh lamélech bayám, 'im oní ḥirám; aḥát ləshalósh shaním tavó oní tarshísh, nosét zaháv vachésef, shinhabím vəqofím vətukiyím
      For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
  2. (modern) A parrot (a kind of bird).
  3. (modern, figuratively) A parroter; a person who repeats the words or ideas of others.

Usage notes edit

  • The plural and plural construct forms in Biblical Hebrew are תֻּכִּיִּים and תֻּכִּיֵּי, respectively. The modern forms are listed above.

Derived terms edit

References edit