אמצע
emtsa
The Hebrew word for middle is אמצע (emtsa).
אמצע is a noun meaning centre or midpoint. To say 'in the middle', you use the preposition ב (in) attached to the word to form באמצע.
Meaning: centre, midpoint (noun)
Which one should you use?
While אמצע refers to the midpoint or the middle of a span, מרכז is more commonly used to refer to a central location or a hub, such as a city center.
How do you pronounce it?
emtsa
Did you know?
- The root of אמצע is also found in the Hebrew word אמצעים, which means 'means' or 'resources'. This suggests a conceptual link between being in the 'middle' and the tools used to bridge two points.
- The Hebrew word אמצע shares a common ancestor with the Aramaic word מְצִיעָא, which can mean 'middle' but also carries the connotation of being 'mediocre' or 'average'.
- The Hebrew word for 'middle' is distinct from the word for 'half', while in English, 'middle' and 'halfway' are frequently used as synonyms.
Examples in context
- תום הטמין כמה מטענים ליד אמצע הגשר.Tom planted some explosives near the middle of the bridge.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use אמצע in the context of a physical location.Tatoeba #5896608 by fekundulo, translation #1024347 by CK
- המזרח התיכוןThe Middle East
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אמצע, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
