Nineveh

English

Etymology

From Old English Niniue (under influence from Biblical Hebrew נִינְוֵה‎ (nīnəwē)), from Latin Nīnevē, from Ancient Greek Νινευή (Nineuḗ), ultimately from Akkadian 𒌷𒉌𒉡𒀀 𒀏 (Ninua) or Old Babylonian 𒌷𒉌𒉡𒀀 (Ninuwā) of uncertain origin, but is clearly a variation of 𒀏 (Ninâ, literally “fish”).[1] The cuneiform seems to denote "House of Fish", although whether this referred to literal fish, an aspect of Ishtar, a separate Hurrian goddess, or something else entirely is unclear.[2]

The traditional folk etymology in classical antiquity derived it from an eponymous founder Ninus (Greek: Νίνος (Nínos)).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈnɪnɪvə/, /ˈnɪnəvə/

Proper noun

Nineveh

  1. The ancient capital of Assyria.

Translations

References

  1. 1 2 Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. "Ninevite, n. and adj." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013.
  2. ↑ "Nineveh" in the Encyclopaedia Judaica.
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