In Hebrew: 'Materialism'

|

March 17, 2013, 12 PM ET

Print

חָמְרִיּוּת

If חֹמֶר לְמַחְשָׁבָה (KHOH-mehr leh-mahkh-shah-VAH) means food (material) for thought, and the word חומר itself means material, it follows that חָמְרִיּוּת (khohm-ree-YOOT) means materialism, where the וּת- ending functions in a way similar to that of the English -ism. For example, one might pose a philosophical-religious question, הַאִם הַחָמְרִיּוּת הִיאדָּבָר טוֹב לָעֹלָם? (hah-EEM hah-khohm-ree-YOOT hee dah-VAHR tohv lah-oh-LAHM?) - Is (the) materialism a good thing for the world? Note that the ָ(kah-MAHTS) vowel signifies the oh sound in this case, not the ah sound. Visit Ktzat Ivrit.