חמור

Hebrew

Etymology 1

Root
ח־מ־ר (kh-m-r)

From Proto-Semitic *ḥimār- (“donkey”). Cognate with Arabic حِمَار (ḥimār).

Noun

חֲמוֹר • (khamór) m (plural indefinite חֲמוֹרִים, feminine counterpart אָתוֹן)

1. donkey, jackass
   • Tanach, Exodus 4:20, with Young's Literal Translation:

     וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם עַל־הַחֲמֹר

     yayikách moshé et-ishtó v'et-banáv vayarkivém al-hachamór

     and Moses taketh his wife, and his sons, and causeth them to ride on the ass

   • Tanach, Deuteronomy 22:10, with translation of the King James Version:

     לֹא־תַחֲרֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר־וּבַחֲמֹר יַחְדָּו

     lo-tacharósh b'shor-uvachamór yachdáv

     Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together

   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Bechorot 1:2:

     פָּרָה שֶׁיָּלְדָה כְּמִין חֲמוֹר, וַחֲמוֹר שֶׁיָּלְדָה כְּמִין סוּס, פָּטוּר מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה

     Paráh she-yaldáh k-min ḥamór, va-ḥamór she-yaldah k-min sus, patur min ha-b'khorah.

     A cow that births what looks like a donkey, or a donkey that births what looks like a horse, these are exempt from the firstborn offering.

2. jackass (foolish person)
3. sawhorse

Declension

Declension of חֲמוֹר

Number	Isolated forms		With possessive pronouns
	State	Form	Person	singular		plural
				m.	f.	m.	f.
singular	indefinite	חֲמוֹר	first	חֲמוֹרִי		חֲמוֹרֵנוּ
	definite	הַחֲמוֹר	second	חֲמוֹרְךָ	חֲמוֹרֵךְ	חֲמוֹרְכֶם	חֲמוֹרְכֶן
	construct	חֲמוֹר־	third	חֲמוֹרוֹ	חֲמוֹרָהּ	חֲמוֹרָם	חֲמוֹרָן
plural	indefinite	חֲמוֹרִים	first	חמוריי / חֲמוֹרַי		חֲמוֹרֵינוּ
	definite	הַחֲמוֹרִים	second	חֲמוֹרֶיךָ	חמורייך / חֲמוֹרַיִךְ	חֲמוֹרֵיכֶם	חֲמוֹרֵיכֶן
	construct	חֲמוֹרֵי־	third	חֲמוֹרָיו	חֲמוֹרֶיהָ	חֲמוֹרֵיהֶם	חֲמוֹרֵיהֶן

Coordinate terms

• אתון ('atón, “jenny, female donkey”)

Derived terms

• חֲמוֹר נוֹשֵׂא סְפָרִים (khamór nosé sfarím)

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Root
ח־מ־ר (kh-m-r)

Adjective

חָמוּר • (khamur) (feminine חֲמוּרָה, masculine plural חֲמוּרִים, feminine plural חֲמוּרוֹת)

1. severe, grave, serious, critical, drastic.

References

• “חמור” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Further reading

• חמור on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew חמור.

Noun

חמור • (khamer) m, plural חמורים (khamoyrim)

1. (derogatory) donkey, jackass, fool