How to say "wasp, hornet" in Arabic
Shifted meaningMeaningwasp, 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-رHebrew root
ד-ב-רModern 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'טירa dangerous wasp
Plural
دَبَابِير
dabābīrדבאבירbroken plural CaCāCīC