נִצָּה
𐤍𐤑𐤄
nitstsâh
H5328 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A blossom or flower, specifically the part of a plant that emerges as a bud and unfolds into a visible bloom. In biblical usage, denotes the floral component of plants, often highlighting delicate beauty, transitory nature, or the onset of fruiting (as in budding vines or trees).
Semantic Range
blossom, flower, bud, shoot, floral part of a plant
Root / Etymology
From the root נ-צ-ה (נצה), presumed to reflect the idea of budding, flourishing, or shooting forth, though the root itself is rare. The noun נִצָּה (fem. form) is derived from the masculine noun נֵץ ('bud, flower'), specifying the feminine gender or a particular type of blossom.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used in poetic or agricultural contexts to describe the appearance of blossoms, especially of vines or fruit trees (e.g., Song of Songs 6:11, Hosea 14:6). The word emphasizes freshness and early stages of plant fertility. It may be contrasted with צִיץ (tzitz), another term for flower, but נִצָּה tends to highlight the blossom as an indicator of coming fruit rather than mere decorative bloom. In post-biblical and later Hebrew, related terms continued to refer to blossoms and buds. Standard English translations usually render it as 'blossom' or 'flower', but the biblical context can emphasize its symbolic link with hope, new life, or ephemerality. No significant distinction is made in biblical usage between the periods, but in the Song of Songs it holds poetic resonance tied to love and rejuvenation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of נֵץ; a blossom; flower.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נצה (n-ṣ-h) — to bud, to blossom, to sprout
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4683 | מַצָּה | quarrel |
| H4695 | מַצּוּת | your contention |
| H5133 | נוֹצָה | with her flight-feather |
| H5323 | נָצָא | to depart |
| H5327 | נָצָה | in their laying-waste |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5328-01 |
נִצָּ֑ה | nitsah | HNcfsa |
branch | her blossom | 1 |
H5328-02 |
נִצָּתֽ/וֹ | nitsato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
its blossom | his blossom | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5328-01 |
Isaiah 18:5 | נִצָּ֑ה | nitsah | HNcfsa |
branch | her blossom |
H5328-02 |
Job 15:33 | נִצָּתֽ/וֹ | nitsato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
its blossom | his blossom |