# \*ḳnṭ: 'to fear; to despair'

> Proto-Semitic *ḳnṭ, 'to fear; to despair': reflexes in 3 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>) › [Q](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/q/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-27.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*ḳnṭ |
| Meaning | 'to fear; to despair' |
| Basis | project |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syrian Aramaic | qnaṭ 'to fear, shrink from'; qenṭā 'fear, suspicion' (Payne Smith 510); qūnāṭā 'fear' (Payne Smith 496) | Payne Smith 510; Payne Smith 496 |  |
| Arabic | qanaṭa, qaniṭa 'he despaired (of the mercy of God, or of good)', 'he despaired most vehemently of a thing'; qāniṭ, qaniṭ, qanūṭ 'despairing' (Lane 2568) | Lane 2568 |  |
| Pre-Islamic North Arabian | Safaitic qnṭ (Al-Jallad–Jaworska 110); tqnṭ (Al-Jallad–Jaworska 133) | Al-Jallad–Jaworska 110; Al-Jallad–Jaworska 133 | gloss withheld |

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

## Notes

Brock. 676 sets Arabic qanaṭa 'desperavit' beside Syriac qnaṭ 'timuit'. Al-Jallad–Jaworska 110 set Safaitic qnṭ beside Arabic qanaṭa 'he despaired most vehemently of a thing' (Lane 2568). 3235 \*yʾš 'to despair' is another root.

## Linked from

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

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/q/3701_to_fear_to_despair/
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.