# \*ʾab-: 'father'

> Proto-Semitic *ʾab-, 'father': reflexes in 28 language(s).

A page of the Linear A Lexicon's research wiki, in [Wiki](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/index.md>) › [Kaphtor Semitic Roots](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/index.md>) › [ʾ](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/alef/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-22.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*ʾab- |
| Meaning | 'father' |
| Basis | SED |
| SED | SEDonline semet 1 |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | ʔab- id. (BK 1, 6) | BK 1, 6 |  |
| Mehri | ḥáyb (JM 2) | JM 2 |  |
| Soqotri | ʔeʔǝb; íˀif-/if- (LS 68; SLOnline 3041) | LS 68; SLOnline 3041 | gloss withheld |
| Akkadian | abu (CAD A/1 67; AHw. 7) | CAD A/1 67; AHw. 7 | gloss withheld |
| Harsusi | ḥayb (JH 1) | JH 1 |  |
| Tigre | ʔab (LH 365) | LH 365 |  |
| Mandaic Aramaic | ab, aba (DM 1) | DM 1 |  |
| Ugaritic | ʔab (DULAT 4) | DULAT 4 |  |
| East Ethiopic | ZWY ābu, SEL abot, WOL abbä, aḇot (LGur. 4) | LGur. 4 |  |
| Geez | ʔab (LGz. 2) | LGz. 2 |  |
| Gurage | CHA EZ̆A MUH MSQ GOG ab, ENM GYT aḇ SOD aḇi, CHA EZ̆̆A END aw (LGur. 4) | LGur. 4 |  |
| Phoenician | ʔb (T 1); ʔbt (T 3) | T 1; T 3 | gloss withheld |
| Jibbali | ʔiy (JJ 1), cf. ʔeb; voc. bɛ (Rubin 2014 655) | JJ 1; Rubin 2014 655 | gloss withheld |
| Hebrew | ʔāb (HALOT 1); Mishnaic ʔabbā (OLA80 §28.13) | HALOT 1; OLA80 §28.13 | gloss withheld |
| Amharic | abbat (K 1199) | K 1199 |  |
| Epigraphic South Arabian | SAB MIN QAT ʔb (SD 1; LM 1; Ricks 3; Sabaweb lemma 1490) | SD 1; LM 1; Ricks 3; Sabaweb lemma 1490 |  |
| Judaic Aramaic | ʔabbā id. (Ja. 2) | Ja. 2 |  |
| Harari | āw (LHar 37) | LHar 37 |  |
| Syrian Aramaic | ʔabbā id. (Brock. 1) | Brock. 1 |  |
| Tigrinya | ʔabbo id. (Bass. 515) | Bass. 515 |  |
| Aramaic | ʾb (DNWSI 1) | DNWSI 1; Anderson–Moser 2024 root abb | gloss withheld |
| Punic | ʾb 'father' | Anderson–Moser 2024 root abb |  |
| Gafat | abʷä (LGz. 2) | LGz. 2 |  |
| Amorite | ʾabum (Gelb AS 21, 13); ʾabu (Buck 2019, 323); ʾab: (=)a-bu/i/a(=), (=)a-ba/bí/bu(=) (Ur III) (Sanmartín GlOS 1, 3) | Gelb AS 21 13; Buck 2019, 323; Sanmartín GlOS 1, 3 | gloss withheld |
| Pre-Islamic North Arabian | Safaitic ʾb (Al-Jallad–Jaworska 38); Dadanitic ʾb; Hismaic ʾb; Dhofari ʾb (Al-Jallad 2026, 3) | Al-Jallad–Jaworska 38; Al-Jallad 2026 3 | gloss withheld |
| Argobba | aw, abba (Leslau 1997:194, AAD 285 apud SEDonline 489) | Leslau 1997:194, AAD 285; SEDonline 489 | gloss withheld |
| Eblaitic | a-ba₄, a-bu/bù, a-ba/bù /ʾab/ (Sanmartín GlOS 1, 3); a-ba-ʾà-su-ma-a /ʾabah-ay-šumay(n)/, a-bí-iš, a-bù-sù (ARET XI 1; Fronzaroli 1995, 62–63) | Sanmartín GlOS 1, 3; ARET XI 1; Fronzaroli 1995, 62–63 | gloss withheld |
| Biblical Aramaic | ʔab (HALOT 1) | HALOT 1 | gloss withheld |

A form keeps its source's gloss only when the source is public domain or openly licensed.

## Notes

Krahmalkov 30 reads the bʾbt of KAI 26 A I 12/13 as ʾbt 'fathership', the plural 'fathers' used as an abstract, where Tomback (T 3) reads ʔbt 'intercessor'.

## Linked from

- [ʾ](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/alef/index.md>)

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/alef/1_father/
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 add28e94.