H1288 בָרַךְ bârak → Root

4 languages

Root of the ברך bârak family (10 members).

To bless, to endow with power for success, prosperity, fertility, or longevity; to recognize, affirm, or invoke divine favor or well-being. In its most typical sense, בָרַךְ refers to the act of conferring a benefit, either from a divine figure to a human or from one human to another, often formally recognizing favor or good fortune. Less commonly, the term can be used in euphemistic contexts to mean 'curse,' usually as a deliberate circumlocution in prohibitive formulas or legal settings.

Etymology From the root ברך, which primarily means 'to kneel.' The lexical form בָרַךְ developed from the gesture of kneeling, which indicated submission or paying homage, and came to be associated with an act conveying blessing and favor. The semantic development reflects the connection between physical posture of humility (kneeling) and the pronouncing or bestowal of blessing. The negative (euphemistic) sense, 'to curse,' likely arose from conventions of indirect speech in contexts involving prohibitions against blasphemy or treason.

Reflexes  · not yet grouped by proto-form

LanguageWordMeaningSegmentationRoot
Kikuyu baraka blessing baraka
Kirundi uburaka blessing baraka
Lingala libelaka blessing (from God) baraka/beraka
Swahili baraka blessing barak

Family members (9)

Lexemes that inherit from this canonical via the SilexRoot family or an additional inheritance edge. Tags show the cognate-propagation status.

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