אָדַר
𐤀𐤃𐤓
ʼâdar
H142 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be majestic, to display greatness or splendor, to be made glorious or honored. In biblical Hebrew, אָדַר refers primarily to the manifestation of qualities that inspire awe or convey majesty, especially in relation to God or, more rarely, to esteemed persons. Its uses carry a strong connotation of outward greatness, dignity, or esteem.
Semantic Range
to show majesty, to display greatness, to be beautiful in a majestic sense, to be honored, to be made glorious, to be attributed splendor
Root / Etymology
Root: אדר. The verbal root אדר conveys the idea of being wide or majestic, extending outward in a figurative sense to signify greatness, dignity, or displaying grandeur. There is a possible semantic connection with Akkadian adāru ('to be wide, majestic'), suggesting a proto-Semitic sense related to spaciousness or greatness, but evidence for direct borrowing or common descent is limited. The noun derivatives retain the sense of majesty or splendor.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אָדַר is a relatively rare verb in the Hebrew Bible and most frequently appears in poetic or exalted texts, such as psalms or passages of praise. It serves to describe the dignity, splendor, or visible majesty often attributed to YHWH, but at times may be used for honored individuals or for qualities (such as clothing or ornamentation) that befit honor or grandeur. The root is not the source of the post-exilic month 'Adar' (אֲדָר), which is unrelated. English translations often render the word with terms such as 'glorious' or 'honor', but these may not fully capture the Hebrew sense of manifested majesty or majestic bearing. The term overlaps semantically with כבד (H3513, 'to be heavy, honored') and פאר (H6286, 'to beautify'), but אָדַר emphasizes majesty and visible greatness more than weightiness or adornment. The verb is almost exclusively reserved for contexts denoting exalted status, often with a focus on ascribed rather than inherent qualities.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to expand, i.e. be great or (figuratively) magnificent; (become) glorious, honourable.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אדר (ʾ-d-r) — majesty, greatness, splendor, honor
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H115 | אֲדוֹרַיִם | Two Eminences |
| H117 | אַדִּיר | mighty |
| H143 | אֲדָר | Adar |
| H144 | אֲדָר | Adar |
| H146 | אַדָּר | Adar |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H142-03 |
וְ/יַאְדִּֽיר | veyaedir | HC/Vhi3ms |
and make glorious | and he will make majestic | 1 |
H142-02 |
נֶאְדָּרִ֖י | needari | HVNrmsc |
glorious | being-made-majestic | 1 |
H142-01 |
נֶאְדָּ֣ר | needar | HVNrmsa |
majestic | being made majestic | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H142-02 |
Exodus 15:6 | נֶאְדָּרִ֖י | needari | HVNrmsc |
glorious | being-made-majestic |
H142-01 |
Exodus 15:11 | נֶאְדָּ֣ר | needar | HVNrmsa |
majestic | being made majestic |
H142-03 |
Isaiah 42:21 | וְ/יַאְדִּֽיר | veyaedir | HC/Vhi3ms |
and make glorious | and he will make majestic |