*ŝbh: 'to be like, resemble'

Root

Language	Form	Sources	Note
Arabic	ʾašbaha, šābaha 'he was, or became, like him; he resembled him'; šabbaha 'he made it to be like it; he likened it to it' (Lane 1499); šibh, šabah 'a like; a similar person or thing' (Lane 1500)	Lane 1499; Lane 1500
Syrian Aramaic	sbah 'to be or become like'; sabbah 'to make like, to liken'; asbah 'to liken, compare, find a resemblance'; subhā 'likeness, resemblance' (Payne Smith 357); subhā 'likeness' (Brock. 454)	Payne Smith 357; Brock. 454

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

Brockelmann sets Syriac subhā beside Arabic šibh (Brock. 454). Arabic š answers Syriac s (*ŝ). 2351 *dmy 'to resemble, be like' is another root.

Updated 26 October 2026