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מַמְתַּק

𐤌𐤌𐤕𐤒

mamtaq

H4477 noun

SILEX Entry

Root מתק to be sweet, to become pleasant, to be enjoyable

Definition

A sweet thing; specifically, something that is sweet to the taste, such as a delicacy or confection. Used both in a literal sense for physical foods that are pleasant and enjoyable to the palate, and, less commonly, in a figurative sense for something delightful or pleasant to the senses or emotions. The term is concrete, typically referring to edible substances.

Semantic Range

edible sweet thing, delicacy, sweet treat, confection, something delightful (rare/future figurative extension)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the verb root מָתַק (maṭaq), 'to be or become sweet, pleasant, or enjoyable.' The noun מַמְתַּק (mamtaq) is a denominal formation, designating something which is sweet or pleasant, most often in the context of food.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, מַמְתַּק appears rarely (e.g., Neh 8:10), usually referring to sweet foods offered or consumed during communal celebrations or religious observances. The term can encompass a range of sweet delicacies, not limited to any single substance. While standard English translations render it as 'sweet,' 'sweet food,' or 'dainty,' these do not fully capture its scope, which includes both natural and prepared sweets. In post-biblical Hebrew, the word's use broadens to include 'confectioneries.' Its rare figurative use refers to that which brings delight or pleasure, though this is not a dominant sense in pre-exilic texts. Distinct from the adjective מָתוֹק (maṭoq, 'sweet'), which describes the quality, מַמְתַּק identifies the object itself.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from מָתַק; something sweet (literally or figuratively); (most) sweet.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מתק (m-t-q) — to be sweet, to become pleasant, to be enjoyable

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4966 מָתוֹק to what is sweet
H4985 מָתַק they were sweet
H4986 מֶתֶק and sweetness of
H4987 מֹתֶק my sweetness
H4988 מָתָק he was sweet to him

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4477-01 מַֽמְתַקִּ֔ים mametaqim HNcmpa most sweet sweet delicacies 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4477-01 Song of Songs 5:16 מַֽמְתַקִּ֔ים mametaqim HNcmpa most sweet sweet delicacies
H4477-01 Nehemiah 8:10 מַֽמְתַקִּ֗ים mametaqim HNcmpa the sweet drinks sweet delicacies
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