# \*ḳaml- ~ \*ḳalm- 'louse'

A Proto-Semitic root the Linear A Lexicon's readings rest on.

- Author's gloss: louse; vermin
- Record: https://github.com/plasma-ai/kaphtor/blob/50525edd50131a50e59ec82bf5132da0fa89efc9/wiki/semitic-roots/q/2229_louse.md

## In Linear A

- [KU-MA-JU](<https://linear-a.ai/lexicon/KU-MA-JU/index.md>) (Qumalu): Qumalu 'Louse' (personal name); rival kumru 'priest'

## Reflexes: East Semitic

- Eblaitic: ga-ma-tum = UḪ [MEE 4 1022] (gloss withheld)

## Reflexes: Northwest Semitic

- Judaic Aramaic: ḳalmǝtā 'vermin' [Ja. 645], [Levy WT II 363].
- Syrian Aramaic: ḳalmā 'louse; a small creature infesting grain' [Brock. 668], [PS 3635].
- Aramaic: Anc. ḳml [HJ 1013] (gloss withheld)
- Modern Aramaic: Krd., JNA, Tlk., Ass. ḳalma; NSyr. ḳŭlmâ; Tur. ḳalmo (SED II 177)

## Reflexes: Arabic

- Arabic: ḳaml- 'lice', ḳummal- 'small ants; small grasshoppers that do not yet have wings' [BK 2 816], [Fr. III 500] (also ḳamāl- 'pediculus'), [LA 11 568-9].

## Reflexes: Epigraphic South Arabian

- Epigraphic South Arabian: Sab. ḳmlt [SD 105; Sabaweb lemma 3056] (gloss withheld)

## Reflexes: Ethiopic and Modern South Arabian

- Tigre: ḳämlät [LH 237] (gloss withheld)
- Geez: ḳʷǝmāl, ḳǝmāl [LGz. 432]. (gloss withheld)
- Gurage: Msq. Gog. Sod. ḳǝmal, Sel. Wol. ḳumal, Cha. Eža ḳǝmar, Gyt. ḳǝm̱ār, Zwy. ḳǝmāy, Muh. ḳǝme, Enm. ʔǝ̃m̱ār, End. ʔǝwān [LGur. 481]. (gloss withheld)
- Amharic: ḳǝmal [K 700].
- Tigrinya: ḳumal id. [Bass. 288].
- Harari: ḳumāy (Kogan 2015, ch. 7 §2.3 no. 49)
- Argobba: qəmal (LGz. 432)

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/roots/2229/
Licence: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cite as: di Mino, Tom. 2026. Linear A Lexicon. Plasma AI. https://linear-a.ai/. Data: kaphtor, commit 50525edd.