Σεραφείμ

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Koine Greek, Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew שְׂרָפִים (śərāp̄îm), plural form of שָׂרָף (śārāp̄) (burning one).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /se.raˈɸim/ → /se.raˈfim/

• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /se.raˈpʰim/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /se.raˈɸim/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /se.raˈfim/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /se.raˈfim/

Proper noun

Σεραφείμ • (Serapheím) m (indeclinable) (Koine)

1. seraphim

   Attested in the plural οἱ (hoi) Σεραφείμ at LXX (Septuagint), Isaiah (Ἠσαἳας), 6.2.

   • 300 BCE – 200 BCE, Septuagint, Is 6.2

Descendants

• > Greek: Σεραφείμ (Serafeím) (inherited)
• → Old Church Slavonic: серафимъ (serafimŭ)
  • → Romanian: serafim
  • → Russian: серафим (serafim)
  • → Ukrainian: серафим (serafym) (learned)

• and see: שָׂרָף

Further reading

• “Σεραφείμ”, in ΛΟΓΕΙΟΝ [Logeion] Dictionaries for Ancient Greek and Latin (in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch and Chinese), University of Chicago, since 2011
• “Σεραφείμ”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press

Greek

Alternative forms

• Σεραφίμ (Serafím) (simplifed spelling)

Etymology

Koine Greek Σεραφείμ m (Serapheím) used in plural, from Biblical Hebrew שְׂרָפִים (śərāp̄îm), plural form of שָׂרָף (śārāp̄).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /se.ɾaˈfim/

Proper noun

Σεραφείμ • (Serafeím) m (indeclinable)

1. seraphim

Related terms

• σεραφικός (serafikós, adjective)

Further reading

• Σεραφείμ, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language
• Σεραφείμ, Σεραφίμ - Charalambakis, Chistoforos et al. (2014) Χρηστικό λεξικό της νεοελληνικής γλώσσας (Christiko lexiko tis Neoellhnikis Glossas) [A Practical dictionary of Modern Greek language] (in Greek) Athens: Academy of Athens. (online since 2023 - abbreviations - symbols)