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מָעַט

𐤌𐤏𐤈

mâʻaṭ

H4591 verb

SILEX Entry

Root מעט to be small, to become few, to diminish, to reduce

Definition

To become or make small, few, or diminished; to reduce or be reduced in number, size, importance, or effectiveness. The verb is used both transitively ('to cause to diminish, to lessen') and intransitively ('to be diminished, dwindle, become few or small'). The term can refer to physical size, numerical quantity, or metaphorically the reduction of status, power, or influence.

Semantic Range

to become small, to be diminished, to decrease, to be made few, to cause to diminish, to be reduced in status or importance, to curtail, to dwindle, to make less

Root / Etymology

From the root מעט, meaning 'to be small, become few, diminish.' The verb form מָעַט carries causative and reflexive nuances in various stems (qal: 'become few/small', piel: 'make few/small').

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מָעַט is frequently used to describe the process of reduction, whether of people, objects, or abstract qualities (e.g., influence, significance). For example, it refers to the decrease in numbers of Israelites (Gen 8:8; Deut 4:27), the lessening of resources (1 Kings 17:12), or the diminishing influence of individuals or groups. In the exilic and post-exilic writings, it can also convey modesty or humility, though the primary sense remains literal or quantitative reduction. English translations like 'become few,' 'diminish,' or 'be less' generally capture the main meanings, but may obscure the nuance that it can refer to status and not only to quantity. Distinct from other Hebrew terms for decrease such as חסר ('to lack, be deficient') or קלל ('to be light, of little account'), מעט focuses specifically on reduction or diminution from a prior state. It is employed poetically at times to express a contrast between abundance and scarcity. The use across periods remains consistent, without strong evidence for significant semantic shift.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to pare off, i.e. lessen; intransitively, to be (or causatively, to make) small or few (or figuratively, ineffective); suffer to decrease, diminish, (be, [idiom] borrow a, give, make) few (in number, -ness), gather least (little), be (seem) little, ([idiom] give the) less, be minished, bring to nothing.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מעט (m-ʿ-ṭ) — to be small, to become few, to diminish, to reduce

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4592 מְעַט in small measure of
H4593 מָעֹט thinned

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4591-14 יִמְעַ֣ט yimeat HVqi3ms is too small he will diminish 3
H4591-04 תַּמְעִ֖יט tameit HVhi2ms you shall diminish you will make small 3
H4591-13 יַמְעִ֔יט yameit HVhi3ms he diminishes he will diminish 2
H4591-15 יִמְעָ֑טוּ yimeatu HVqi3mp they-will-be-few they will become few 2
H4591-10 וְ/הַ/מַּמְעִֽיט vehamameit HC/Td/Vhrmsa and the one gathering little and the one causing to diminish 2
H4591-06 תַּמְעִֽיטִי tameiti HVhj2fs hold back may you lessen 1
H4591-09 וַ/יִּמְעֲט֥וּ vayimeatu HC/Vqw3mp they were diminished and they became few 1
H4591-07 תַּמְעִ֑יטוּ tameitu HVhi2mp you shall take less you will reduce 1
H4591-03 מִעֵ֔טוּ mietu HVpp3cp they are few they diminished 1
H4591-08 תִּמְעָֽטוּ timeatu HVqj2mp decrease may you become few 1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4591-14 Exodus 12:4 יִמְעַ֣ט yimeat HVqi3ms is too small he will diminish
H4591-10 Exodus 16:17 וְ/הַ/מַּמְעִֽיט vehamameit HC/Td/Vhrmsa and the one gathering little and the one causing to diminish
H4591-10 Exodus 16:18 וְ/הַ/מַּמְעִ֖יט vehamameit HC/Td/Vhrmsa and the one gathering little and the one causing to diminish
H4591-13 Exodus 30:15 יַמְעִ֔יט yameit HVhi3ms shall give less he will diminish
H4591-02 Leviticus 25:16 מְעֹ֣ט meot HVqc the fewness hundreds
H4591-04 Leviticus 25:16 תַּמְעִ֖יט tameit HVhi2ms you shall diminish you will make small
H4591-12 Leviticus 26:22 וְ/הִמְעִ֖יטָה vehimeitah HC/Vhq3fs and diminish and she caused to diminish
H4591-01 Numbers 11:32 הַ/מַּמְעִ֕יט hamameit HTd/Vhrmsa the least the one who lessens
H4591-04 Numbers 26:54 תַּמְעִ֖יט tameit HVhi2ms you shall diminish you will make small
H4591-04 Numbers 33:54 תַּמְעִ֣יט tameit HVhi2ms you shall give less you will make small
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