Jewish life

shamash

An Aramaic word for 'servant' became the Hebrew title of the synagogue beadle and the name of the 'servant' candle that lights the others on a Hanukkah menorah; Christian Aramaic took it to Arabic as 'deacon'.

Weakest linkProbable

The road to American English

From Mishnaic Hebrew to Yiddish, English

From Aramaic to Syriac, Arabic

100 CEAramaic

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

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