ידיד

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
י־ד־ד (y-d-d)
3 terms

Related to Arabic وَدِيد (wadīd, “friendly, beloved”) and Ugaritic 𐎊𐎄 (yd, “beloved”) (according to Even Shoshan dictionary).

Pronunciation

• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jɔːˈðiːð/ [jɔːˈðiːð]
• (Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jɔˈðið/ [jɔːˈðiːð]
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jaˈdid/

Noun

יָדִיד • (yadíd) m (plural indefinite יְדִידִים, singular construct יְדִיד־, plural construct יְדִידֵי־, feminine counterpart יְדִידָה) [pattern: קָטִיל]

1. A (male) friend.
2. (Biblical Hebrew) darling, beloved

Usage notes

• While the synonym חָבֵר (khavér) is more common in Modern Hebrew, it is ambiguous between a platonic friend and a romantic one. Therefore, to avoid this ambiguity, יָדִיד may be used, or contrastive focus reduplication may be used as in the question חבר חבר או רק חבר? (khavér khavér o rak khavér?, “boyfriend-friend or just friend?”).

Synonyms

• (friend): חָבֵר m (khavér)

Derived terms

• יָזִיז (yazíz)

References

• “ידיד” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Further reading

• ידיד on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he