The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
Appendix II
Semitic Roots
ENTRY:
hwy.
DEFINITION:
Also hyy. To be, become. I.1.Yahweh, from Hebrew yahweh, assumed ancient pronunciation of the name of the God of Israel, perhaps meaning “he brings into existence,” causative derived stem of hwâ,hyâ, to be. 2.Jehovah, modern mispronunciation (since the 16th century a.d.) of Yahweh, in which the Hebrew consonants Y(J)-H-W(V)-H were pronounced with the vowels of the Hebrew word dny (see d), which were added to the Hebrew consonantal text of the Bible to indicate that the latter word was to be read instead of the divine name. II. Various short forms of Hebrew yahweh (see I above), found mostly in personal names. 1.Jah, from Hebrew yh, short for yahweh, Yahweh, also appearing in the following personal names: a. Jedidiah, from Hebrew ydîdyh, beloved of Yahweh (see dwd); b.Matthew, from Hebrew mattayyh (< *mattan-yh), gift of Yahweh; c. Nehemiah, from Hebrew nemyh, Yahweh comforted; d. Obadiah, from Hebrew cbadyh, servant of Yahweh; e. Tobit, from Hebrew ôbyh, my good (is) Yahweh; f.Uriah, from Hebrew ûrîyh, my light (is) Yahweh (ûrî, my light; see wr); g. Zechariah, from Hebrew zkaryh, Yahweh has remembered; h. Zephaniah, from Hebrew panyh, Yahweh has hidden, Yahweh has treasured. 2a.Hezekiah, from Hebrew izqîyh(û), my strength (is) Yahweh (see zq); b. Isaiah, from Hebrew yacyhû, salvation of Yahweh; c. Jeremiah, jeremiad, from Hebrew yirmyhû, Yahweh has established; d.Elijah, from Hebrew lîyhû, my God (is) Yahweh (see l). a–d all from Hebrew yhû, short form of yahweh, Yahweh. 3a.Joab, from Hebrew yôb, Yahweh (is) father (see b); b. Joel, from Hebrew yôl, Yahweh (is) God; c. John, from Hebrew yônn, Yahweh has been gracious; d. Jonathan, from Hebrew yôntn, Yahweh has given (see ntn). a–d all from Hebrew yô, short form of yahweh, Yahweh. 4a.Jehoshaphat, from Hebrew yhôp, Yahweh has judged (p, he has judged; see p); b. (i) Joshua, from yhôûac, Yahweh (is) salvation (*ûac, salvation; see wc); (ii) Jesus, from Hebrew yûac, shortening of yhôûac, Joshua (see above). Both a and b from yhô, short form of yahweh, Yahweh.
wâ, h
d
n
dîdy
emy
ôb
y
acy
lîy
p
