# \*maʾ-/\*may- 'water'

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

- Author's gloss: water
- SED semet 702
- Record: https://github.com/plasma-ai/kaphtor/blob/50525edd50131a50e59ec82bf5132da0fa89efc9/wiki/semitic-roots/m/711_water.md

## In Linear A

- [MA-I-MI](<https://linear-a.ai/lexicon/MA-I-MI/index.md>) (mayimi): water(-men), water-drawers of the sanctuary; rival Anatolian 'grown-ups'
- [MI-JA](<https://linear-a.ai/lexicon/MI-JA/index.md>) (mayya): water

## Reflexes: East Semitic

- Akkadian: mû (Kogan 2015, ch. 5 §2.3.2 no. 94)
- Eblaitic: ma-wu/ma-u₉ i-da (Kogan 2011, 191; VE 626a; Krebernik 1983, 24); mu-ù, ma-wu i-da-a, ma-u₉ i-da /maʾw, māw, māy/ (Sanmartín GlOS 2, 27) (gloss withheld)

## Reflexes: Northwest Semitic

- Ugaritic: my (Kogan 2015, ch. 5 §2.2.1 no. 94); mh (gloss withheld) [Anderson–Moser 2024 root mw]
- Phoenician: mm (Krahmalkov 292) (gloss withheld)
- Hebrew: mayim (pl.) (Kogan 2015, ch. 4 §3.1.1.1 no. 94)
- Syrian Aramaic: mayy- (pl.); mayā 'water, waters; juice' (Payne Smith 268)
- Aramaic: mayy- (pl.); myn, myʾ (DNWSI 620) (gloss withheld)
- Canaanite: mi(e)ma (HALOT 576)
- Judaic Aramaic: mayyā (HALOT 576)
- Mandaic Aramaic: mia, mai (HALOT 576)
- Punic: mm 'water' [Anderson–Moser 2024 root mw]

## Reflexes: Arabic

- Arabic: māʔ-
- Pre-Islamic North Arabian: Safaitic my (Al-Jallad–Jaworska 101); myt; mwʾ; mʾ (Al-Jallad 2026, 96) (gloss withheld)

## Reflexes: Epigraphic South Arabian

- Epigraphic South Arabian: Sab mw, du. mw-nhn, pl. mwy, ʾmwh (SD 88; Sabaweb lemma 1878) (gloss withheld)

## Reflexes: Ethiopic and Modern South Arabian

- Mehri: ḥemūh
- Harsusi: ḥemyoh
- East Ethiopic: Wol mäy
- Geez: māy (Kogan 2015, ch. 7 §2.2 no. 94)
- Jibbali: mih
- Harari: mīy (Kogan 2015, ch. 7 §2.2 no. 94)
- Tigrinya: may (Kogan 2015, ch. 7 §2.2 no. 94) (gloss withheld)
- Tigre: may (Kogan 2015, ch. 7 §2.2 no. 94) (gloss withheld)
- Gurage: may (LGz. 376) (gloss withheld)

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/roots/711/
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.