חיה

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
ח־י־ה (kh-y-h)

From Proto-Semitic *ḥay(aw)- (“animal”). Cognate with Arabic حَيَوَان (ḥayawān), Classical Syriac ܚܝܘܬܐ (ḥaywəṯā) and Ugaritic 𐎈𐎆𐎉 (ḥwt).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew)

  (animal, wild person, (present feminine singular) lives): IPA^(key): /χaˈja/

  ((present feminine singular) lives): IPA^(key): /ˈχa.ja/ (non-standard)

  (proper noun): IPA^(key): /ˈχa.ja/

Adjective

חייה / חַיָּה • (khayá)

1. feminine singular indefinite form of חַי (kháy)

Noun

חייה / חַיָּה • (khayá) f (plural indefinite חַיּוֹת, singular construct חיית / חַיַּת־, plural construct חַיּוֹת־) [pattern: קַטְלָה]

1. animal (organism other than man)
2. animal (person who behaves wildly)

Synonyms

• בְּהֵמָה (b'hemá)

Derived terms

• חיית בר (khayát bar)
• חיית מחמד (khayát makhmád)

Proper noun

חייה / חַיָּה • (kháya) f

1. a female given name, Chaya

Verb

חַיָּה • (khayá)

1. living, lives: feminine singular present participle and present tense of חי (khaya).

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew חַיָּה (khayá).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈχaɪ̯ə/

Noun

חיה • (khaye) f, plural חיות (khayes)

1. animal

   Synonym: בעל־חי (balkhay)

Derived terms

• חייִש (khayish)

See also

• בהמה (beheyme)

References

• Steven A. Jacobson (1998) A Guide to the More Common Hebraic Words in Yiddish, 5th edition, Fairbanks, AK: National Yiddish Book Center, →ISBN, page 68