דִּמְיוֹן
𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤅𐤍
dimyôwn
H1825 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A likeness, image, or representation; the quality, state, or instance of similarity, often used in comparisons or analogies. The term refers to a perceived or conceptual resemblance, whether physical, visual, or abstract, and is employed in poetic or figurative language to indicate something that is analogous to or imitative of another.
Semantic Range
likeness, resemblance, analogy, similarity, image (abstract), representation, comparison
Root / Etymology
Root: דמה (d-m-h), meaning 'to be like, resemble, compare.' דִּמְיוֹן (dimyôn) is a noun pattern derived from this root, formed with the nominal suffix -יוֹן, which often indicates an abstract quality or state. Thus, דִּמְיוֹן denotes the notion or quality of resemblance rather than the act of comparing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
דִּמְיוֹן appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Psalm 17:12, Isaiah 13:4) and functions primarily in poetic or descriptive passages to convey the idea of resemblance or likeness—whether in the visual sense or in metaphor. During the monarchic and exilic periods, the root דמה had a wide field of semantic application, but דִּמְיוֹן itself specifically conveys the state or product of resemblance. Unlike צֶלֶם (ṣélem, 'image, idol'), which denotes a concrete image or physical likeness (often with cultic implications), דִּמְיוֹן is usually more abstract, referring to mental or conceptual similarity or analogy. In Second Temple and later Hebrew, דִּמְיוֹן evolves toward the sense of 'imagination' or 'fantasy,' especially in Rabbinic literature, but this later development is not evident in biblical usage. Most major English translations render the term as 'likeness,' 'resemblance,' or 'like,' but may underrepresent its abstract, qualitative nuance in Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from דָּמָה; resemblance; [idiom] like.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דמה (d-m-h) — to be like, resemble, compare
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1745 | דּוּמָה | silence |
| H1747 | דּוּמִיָּה | stillness |
| H1819 | דָּמָה | I will liken |
| H1820 | דָּמָה | I have fallen silent |
| H1821 | דְּמָה | one who resembles |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1825-01 |
דִּמְיֹנ֗/וֹ | dimeyono | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his likeness | his likeness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1825-01 |
Psalms 17:12 | דִּמְיֹנ֗/וֹ | dimeyono | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his likeness | his likeness |