zꜣ

Egyptian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

 

• (reconstructed) IPA^(key): /ziːʀ/ → /siːʀ/ → /siːʔ/ → /siːʔ/

• (Old Egyptian, c. 2500 BCE) IPA^(key): /ziːʀ/
• (Middle Egyptian, c. 1700 BCE) IPA^(key): /siːʀ/
• (Amarna-period Late Egyptian, c. 1350 BCE) IPA^(key): /siːʔ/
• (latest Late Egyptian, c. 800 BCE) IPA^(key): /siːʔ/

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /zɑ/
  • Conventional anglicization: za

Noun

 m

1. son [since the Pyramid texts]
   • The Stela of Inhuretnakht, British Museum, Egyptian Antiquities 1783:

     jrt.n n.f zꜣ.f smsw.f mr(j).f dbj

     What his eldest beloved son Debi made for him.

2. (rare) male offspring of an animal [18th dynasty]
3. the succeeding decan after some decan

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[since the Pyramid texts]	[since the Old Kingdom]	[since the Old Kingdom]	[since the Middle Kingdom]	[since the 18th dynasty]	[since the 18th dynasty]	[since the New Kingdom]

Derived terms

• ḥr-zꜣ-ꜣst
• zꜣ-ꜣst
• zꜣ-jmn
• zꜣ-ptḥ
• zꜣ-nht
• zꜣ-nswt
• zꜣ-rꜥ
• zꜣ-rnnwtt
• zꜣ-ḥwt-ḥr
• zꜣ-ḫnt-ẖtj
• zꜣ-sbk
• zꜣt
• zꜣ-tꜣ
• zꜣt-wsrt
• zꜣt-mnṯw
• zꜣt-nswt
• zꜣt-ḫnt-ẖtj
• zꜣt-sbk

 

Descendants

• Old Coptic: ⲥⲓ (si), ⲥⲓ- (si-)
• → Akkadian: 𒋛𒉿 (/⁠-sija-⁠/) in 𒄯 𒋛𒉿 𒂊𒋗 (/⁠har-sija-ēšu⁠/, “Horus, son of Isis”)
• → Ancient Greek: -σι- (-si-) in Ἁρσιησις (Harsiēsis, “Horus, son of Isis”)
• → Ancient Greek: Σι- (Si-) in Σισρω (Sisrō, “the thirtieth decan”), Σισεσμε (Sisesme, “the twenty-fourth decan”), Σικετ (Siket, “the second decan”)

Etymology 2

Noun

 m

1. protection [since the Pyramid Texts]
2. a magic spell
3. an amulet

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[since the Middle Kingdom]	[since the Middle Kingdom]	[Middle Kingdom]	[since the New Kingdom]	[since the New Kingdom]

Derived terms

• nmtj-m-zꜣ.f
• zꜣ-tꜣ

Etymology 3

Noun

 m

1. a measure of area equivalent to one eighth of a sṯꜣt (“arura”) (about 345 square metres).
2. (Late Period, in the direct genitive construction (sṯꜣt-ꜣḥt)) Abbreviation of sṯꜣt (“arura”).

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

zꜣ	zꜣ
[Late Period]	[Late Period]
as abbreviation for arura

Etymology 4

Noun

 m

1. (medicine) a product of an inflammation

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Etymology 5

Noun

 m

1. (medicine) a type of ulcer

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Etymology 6

Proper noun

 m

1. a god who personifies a certain body of water [Late Period]

Etymology 7

Verb

1. (transitive) to fend off [Pyramid Texts]

Etymology 8

Verb

1. perfective of zꜣj

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Pyramid Texts]	[Pyramid Texts]

Etymology 9

Noun

 m

1. the object depicted in the hieroglyph , a type of shepherd’s mat

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative forms:

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Old Kingdom]

Etymology 10

Noun

 m

1. guard
2. troop of soldiers
3. association of people in some particular occupation
4. group, division; rendered as φυλή (phulḗ) in Greek

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Old Kingdom]	[Old Kingdom]	[since the Middle Kingdom]	[Middle Kingdom]	[Middle Kingdom]

Etymology 11

Noun

 m

1. Used in reference to cattle. The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
   1. A herd
   2. A barrier

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

Etymology 12

Noun

 m

1. a title of some kind [18th dynasty]

Alternative forms

Alternative forms:

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

Etymology 13

Noun

 m

1. a type of field

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Etymology 14

Noun

 m

1. The object depicted in the hieroglyph . The meaning of this term is uncertain.

Inflection

Declension of zꜣ (masculine)

singular	zꜣ
dual	zꜣwj
plural	zꜣw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

[Late Period]

Etymology 15

Verb

1. perfective of zꜣw (“to greet, watch for”)

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of zꜣ  

jzꜣ

References

• Erman, Adolf, Grapow, Hermann (1926–1961) Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN