מָאַר
𐤌𐤀𐤓
mâʼar
H3992 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be bitter, to become embittered, to act in a bitter or vexed manner. The verb connotes the experience or infliction of bitterness, with applications both physical (bitter taste or pain) and emotional (provocation, distress, aggravation). In causative forms, it means to cause bitterness or to embitter another, often by provoking or causing distress. In extended usage, it can indicate the act of grieving, vexing, or troubling.
Semantic Range
to be bitter (emotionally or physically), to embitter, to cause bitterness, to vex, to provoke, to grieve, to distress
Root / Etymology
From the root מָאַר (mʾr) whose basic sense is 'to be bitter'. Some linguists suggest an ancient connection to roots in other Semitic languages denoting bitterness or harshness, but this Hebrew root is not well-attested and its precise etymology is uncertain. It should not be confused with מָרַר, a more common root with a similar meaning.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Usage of מָאַר (mâʼar) is rare in the Hebrew Bible and typically occurs in poetic or intense narrative contexts. The emotional and physical language of bitterness—whether caused by distressing circumstances, relationships, or physical suffering—is central to its meaning. While the more common root מָרַר (marar) also means 'to be bitter', מָאַר conveys a similar but perhaps more acute or causative sense, particularly in piel or hiphil forms. Standard English translations often render it as 'to be bitter,' 'to vex,' or 'to provoke,' but this may not reflect the full scope of distress or embitterment implied. In later periods there is little or no attestation of the verb outside biblical Hebrew, and no evidence suggests specialized religious or group usage; rather, it remains a term for describing acute bitterness or provocation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to be bitter or (causatively) to embitter, i.e. be painful; fretting, picking.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מאר (m-ʾ-r) — to be bitter, to provoke bitterness, to embitter
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3992-01 |
מַמְאֶ֛רֶת | mameeret | HVhrfsa |
fretting | embittering one | 3 |
H3992-02 |
מַמְאִיר֙ | mameir | HVhrmsa |
that-pricks | embittering one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3992-01 |
Leviticus 13:51 | מַמְאֶ֛רֶת | mameeret | HVhrfsa |
fretting | embittering one |
H3992-01 |
Leviticus 13:52 | מַמְאֶ֨רֶת֙ | mameeret | HVhrfsa |
malignant | embittering one |
H3992-01 |
Leviticus 14:44 | מַמְאֶ֥רֶת | mameeret | HVhrfsa |
fretting | embittering one |
H3992-02 |
Ezekiel 28:24 | מַמְאִיר֙ | mameir | HVhrmsa |
that-pricks | embittering one |