# \*ʕamam-: 'people, nation, kinfolk'

> Proto-Semitic *ʕamam-, 'people, nation, kinfolk': reflexes in 13 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>) › [ʿ](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/ayin/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-22.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*ʕamam- |
| Meaning | 'people, nation, kinfolk' |
| Basis | project |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | ʿāmm- 'general, common' (Lane 2150) | Lane 2150 |  |
| Akkadian | ummānu (CAD U/W 106; AHw 1413) | CAD U/W 106; AHw 1413 | gloss withheld |
| Ugaritic | ʿm (DULAT 160) | DULAT 160 | gloss withheld |
| Phoenician | ʿm (T 249) | T 249 | gloss withheld |
| Hebrew | ʿam (HALOT 837); ʿāmît (HALOT 845). ʿammī | HALOT 837; HALOT 845 | gloss withheld |
| Syrian Aramaic | ʕam 'people, nation; Gentiles; crowd' (Payne Smith 416) | Payne Smith 416 |  |
| Punic | ʿm; ʿm mḥnt (Krahmalkov 378); ʿmt; Neo-Punic ʿm šrt (Krahmalkov 380) | Krahmalkov 378; Krahmalkov 380; Anderson–Moser 2024 root ʿm | gloss withheld |
| Pre-Islamic North Arabian | Safaitic ʿm (Al-Jallad–Jaworska 53) | Al-Jallad–Jaworska 53 | gloss withheld |
| Epigraphic South Arabian | Sab ʿmm (Biella 372; Sabaweb lemma 3737) | Biella 372; Sabaweb lemma 3737 | gloss withheld |
| Aramaic | ʿm (T 249) | T 249 |  |
| Judaic Aramaic | ʿamaʾ (T 249) | T 249 |  |
| Biblical Aramaic | ʿam (HALOT BArm. s.v. עַם) | HALOT BArm. s.v. עַם | gloss withheld |
| Moabite | ʕm (DNWSI 864) | DNWSI 864 | gloss withheld |

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

## Notes

Pan-Semitic. One of the most fundamental social terms. ʿayin-initial. HALOT 837 files ʿam 'paternal uncle; kin; people' as one lemma; the kinship senses are 44.

## Linked from

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

---

Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/ayin/S10_people_nation_kinfolk/
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.