מַנְעַם
𐤌𐤍𐤏𐤌
manʻam
H4516 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An item regarded as pleasant or delightful, typically referring to a delicacy or dainty food—something specially appreciated for its pleasing taste or experience. The term denotes anything considered particularly enjoyable or attractive, especially with reference to food, fragrance, or occasionally, other desirable items.
Semantic Range
delicacy, dainty, pleasant thing, item of delight, specially enjoyable food, something delightful
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נעם (naʿam), which has the core meaning 'to be pleasant, delightful, sweet.' The nominal form מַנְעַם (manʻam) denotes 'something which is pleasant,' with a focus on tangible objects, especially food. The mem-prefix (מ-) frequently forms nouns of instrument or result in Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מַנְעַם appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Numbers 11:7), specifically in comparisons with foods considered especially pleasant or desirable, indicating foods with an attractive or enjoyable quality. The lexical sense does not necessarily imply luxury or rarity, but highlights a subjective sense of enjoyment for the eater. Semantic overlap exists with terms such as מַמְתַּק (something sweet or a sweet thing), yet מַנְעַם focuses more broadly on pleasantness, not solely sweetness. In English translations, 'delicacy' or 'dainty' is commonly used but may not capture the nuanced cultural associations of what was considered a 'delicacy' in the ancient Israelite context. In post-biblical Hebrew, related forms continue to connote delight or enjoyment, whether in food, experience, or character. The meaning remains stable through time, though the cultural criteria for 'pleasant' or 'dainty' naturally shift with context. Ancient translations (e.g., the Septuagint) at times narrow the scope to food contexts, reflecting their interpretive tradition.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נָעֵם; a delicacy; dainty.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נעם (n-ʿ-m) — pleasantness, delightfulness, agreeableness, sweetness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5273 | נָעִים | in pleasant ones |
| H5276 | נָעֵם | you were pleasant |
| H5277 | נַעַם | and Pleasantness |
| H5278 | נֹעַם | in pleasantness of |
| H5279 | נַעֲמָה | Pleasantness |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4516-01 |
בְּ/מַנְעַמֵּי/הֶֽם | bemaneameyhem | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
of their delicacies | in their delights | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4516-01 |
Psalms 141:4 | בְּ/מַנְעַמֵּי/הֶֽם | bemaneameyhem | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
of their delicacies | in their delights |