How to say "wasp, hornet" in Arabic

Shifted meaning

Meaningwasp, hornet

Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic

دَبُّور

dabbūrדבור

دبور

Hebrew · Modern Hebrew

צִרְעָה

tsiraتْسِيرَا

How the two words are related

Shifted meaning

Same root as a Hebrew word, but the meaning drifted over the centuries.

Arabic root

د-ب-ر

Hebrew root

ד-ב-ר

Modern Hebrew's actual word for wasp is tsirʿa, unrelated to Arabic — but dabbūr does share its root ד-ב-ר with Hebrew dvora, 'bee'. Which stinging insect got which name is where the two languages parted ways; the semantic link some propose (a root meaning 'to lead, to follow in order', describing a swarm) is a debated, traditional etymology rather than settled comparative linguistics.

Related Hebrew word:דְּבוֹרָהdvoraدْڤُورَا

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In a phrase

دَبُّور خَطِير
dabbūr khaṭīrדבור ח'טיר

a dangerous wasp

Plural

دَبَابِير
dabābīrדבאביר

broken plural CaCāCīC

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