ידיד

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
י־ד־ד (y-d-d)
3 terms

Related to Arabic وَدِيد (wadīd, “friendly, beloved”) and Ugaritic 𐎊𐎄 (yd, “beloved”) (according to Even Shoshan dictionary).

Pronunciation

(Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jɔːˈðiːð/ [jɔːˈðiːð]
(Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jɔˈðið/ [jɔːˈðiːð]
(Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /jaˈdid/

Noun

יָדִיד • (yadíd) m (plural indefinite יְדִידִים, singular construct יְדִיד־, plural construct יְדִידֵי־, feminine counterpart יְדִידָה) [pattern: קָטִיל]

A (male) friend.
(Biblical Hebrew) darling, beloved

Usage notes

While the synonym חָבֵר (khavér) is more common in Modern Hebrew, it is ambiguous between a platonic friend and a romantic one. Therefore, to avoid this ambiguity, יָדִיד may be used, or contrastive focus reduplication may be used as in the question חבר חבר או רק חבר? (khavér khavér o rak khavér?, “boyfriend-friend or just friend?”).

Declension

Declension of **יָדִיד**
	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
Number:	State:	form	Person:	singular		plural
Number:	State:	form	Person:	m	f	m	f
singular	indefinite	יָדִיד	first	יְדִידִי		יְדִידֵנוּ
	definite	הַיָּדִיד	second	יְדִידְךָ	יְדִידֵךְ	יְדִידְכֶם	יְדִידְכֶן
	construct	יְדִיד־	third	יְדִידוֹ	יְדִידָהּ	יְדִידָם	יְדִידָן
plural	indefinite	יְדִידִים	first	ידידיי / יְדִידַי		יְדִידֵינוּ
	definite	הַיְּדִידִים	second	יְדִידֶיךָ	ידידייך / יְדִידַיִךְ	יְדִידֵיכֶם	יְדִידֵיכֶן
	construct	יְדִידֵי־	third	יְדִידָיו	יְדִידֶיהָ	יְדִידֵיהֶם	יְדִידֵיהֶן

Synonyms

(friend): חָבֵר m (khavér)

Derived terms

יָזִיז (yazíz)

References

“ידיד” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language
"ידיד" in the Noun Declension Tables of the Academy of Hebrew Language
H3039 in Strong, James (1979), Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible