# \*liʾ(-at)-, \*laʾay-at-: 'head of large cattle'

> Proto-Semitic *liʾ(-at)-, *laʾay-at-, 'head of large cattle': reflexes in 7 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>) › [L](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/l/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-22.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*liʾ(-at)-, \*laʾay-at- |
| Meaning | 'head of large cattle' |
| Basis | SED |
| SED | SED II No. 142 |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akkadian | littu (lītu), pl. liātu, lâtu (SED II 191) | SED II 191 | gloss withheld |
| Eblaitic | lí-a-núm, lí-a-nu-um = Sum. ALIM; lí-a-tum = Sum. ALIM.SAL, /liʔattum/ or /liʔatum/ (SED II 191; VE 731, 732; Civil 2017, 124–125); lí-a-núm, lí-a-nu-um /liʾyan/ (Sanmartín GlOS 2, 7) | SED II 191; VE 731, 732; Civil 2017, 124–125; Sanmartín GlOS 2, 7 | gloss withheld |
| Arabic | lāʔaⁿ, laʔāt- (SED II 191) | SED II 191 |  |
| Mehri | ləháytən (SED II 191) | SED II 191 |  |
| Harsusi | ləhētəh (SED II 191) | SED II 191 |  |
| Jibbali | léʔ, lhóti (SED II 191) | SED II 191 |  |
| Soqotri | ʔélheh (ʔeléheh, ʔeléhoh) (SED II 191); éľľehe (SLOnline 3097) | SED II 191; SLOnline 3097 | gloss withheld |

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

## Notes

SED II No. 142, which files the Modern South Arabian forms with h here. Hajouz 2013, 389 reads VE 731 lí-a-núm as /liʾānum/ and VE 732 lí-a-tum as /liʾayatum/, where Sanmartín GlOS 2, 7 has /liʾyan/ and SED II 191 /liʔattum/ or /liʔatum/.

## Linked from

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

---

Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/l/2924_head_of_large_cattle/
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.