אַדָּר
𐤀𐤃𐤓
Adar
H146 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name with the primary sense of 'Addar,' functioning either as a placename or a personal name in the Hebrew Bible. The word is used as a toponym referring to a specific location in the southern territory settled by Israelite tribes, and as an anthroponym designating an individual of Israelite descent. The underlying sense may connote 'majestic' or 'grand,' but in usage, the term functions strictly as a name rather than a descriptive term.
Semantic Range
Addar (place name), Addar (personal name); carries potential descriptive sense of 'majestic,' but in practice employed as a proper noun referring to a geographic site or individual
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root אָדַר (׳adar), meaning 'to be majestic' or 'to be mighty.' As a noun, אַדָּר likely intensifies this idea, yielding the sense of 'exalted' or 'splendid,' though as a proper name, it functions as a fixed identifier rather than maintaining its descriptive quality. The form appears to be an intensive or abstract formation from the verbal root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אַדָּר (Addar) appears both as the name of a southern boundary city of ancient Israelite territory (Joshua 15:3, specifically in the allotment for the tribe of Judah), and as a personal name (1 Chronicles 8:3, for a descendant within the lineage of Benjamin). There is no direct evidence that the name carried descriptive force (i.e., that its bearers or the place were identified as 'majestic' or 'noble' in actual usage); rather, the word operates as a proper noun. English translations generally transliterate the term as 'Addar,' though older versions or marginal notes sometimes supply 'ample' or 'grand' based on root meaning. Later English and religious traditions may confuse or conflate the location or person with later geographic or ethnic identities; such renderings should be avoided for historical accuracy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
intensive from אָדַר; ample; Addar, a place in Palestine; also an Israelite; Addar.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אדר (ʾ-d-r) — loanword; name of the twelfth month of the Israelite calendar
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H115 | אֲדוֹרַיִם | Two Eminences |
| H117 | אַדִּיר | mighty |
| H142 | אָדַר | being made majestic |
| H143 | אֲדָר | Adar |
| H144 | אֲדָר | Adar |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H146-02 |
אַדָּ֔רָ/ה | adarah | HNp/Sd |
to Addar | Addar-ward | 1 |
H146-01 |
אַדָּ֥ר | adar | HNp |
Addar | Adar | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H146-02 |
Joshua 15:3 | אַדָּ֔רָ/ה | adarah | HNp/Sd |
to Addar | Addar-ward |
H146-01 |
1 Chronicles 8:3 | אַדָּ֥ר | adar | HNp |
Addar | Adar |