משמעות

Hebrew

Root
שׁ־מ־ע (sh-m-ʿ)

Etymology

Ultimately from the root ש־מ־ע (sh-m-`).

Pronunciation

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Noun

מַשְׁמָעוּת • (mashma'út) f (plural indefinite משמעויות / מַשְׁמָעֻיּוֹת, singular construct מַשְׁמָעוּת־, plural construct משמעויות / מַשְׁמָעֻיּוֹת־)

1. (countable and uncountable) meaning

   מה המשמעות של זה? — ma hamashma'út shel ze? — What is its meaning? [What does it mean?]

2. intent
3. importance, significance

Derived terms

• חד משמעי (khad-mashma'í), דו משמעי (du-mashma'í)
• מַשְׁמָעוּתִי (mashma'utí)

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew מַשְׁמָעוּת

Adverb

משמעות • (mashmoes)

1. probably, likely

Synonyms

• מסתּמא (mistame, mistome)
• מן־הסתּם (minastam)

Further reading

• Map of dialectal use of /maʃˈmos/ from Litvish: An Atlas of Northeastern Yiddish by Dovid Katz