# \*bky: 'professional mourner, wailing woman'

> Proto-Semitic *bky, 'professional mourner, wailing woman': reflexes in 2 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>) › [B](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/b/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-26.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*bky |
| Meaning | 'professional mourner, wailing woman' |
| Basis | project |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akkadian | bakkāʾu; bakkītu (CAD B 34) | CAD B 34 | gloss withheld |
| Syrian Aramaic | bakāyā, fem. bakāytā 'a mourner, especially women hired to make lamentation' (Payne Smith 45) | Payne Smith 45 |  |

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

## Notes

Agent noun of S44 \*bky- 'to weep, cry, lament'. Akkadian ša bikīti '(professional) mourner' (CAD B 225) is bikītu in a phrase. Arabic bakkāʾ 'one who weeps much' (Lane 242) is an intensive adjective.

## Linked from

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

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/b/3618_professional_mourner_wailing_woman/
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.