Shemir
/ˈʃɛmɪr/noun
A variant English transliteration of Shamir, the legendary stone-cutting substance or creature in Jewish tradition.
Did you know?Rabbinic tradition says the Shemir could split or carve stone without iron, because using metal tools on the Temple was considered ritually inappropriate.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
šāmîr
“A hard substance, commonly understood as a thorn or exceptionally hard stone; it appears in biblical imagery as something diamond-like.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
smeiris
“A term associated with an abrasive or hard stone; its relationship to Hebrew šāmîr is possible but not certain.”
Late Antiquity
Rabbinic Hebrew
šāmîr
“A legendary worm or substance believed capable of cutting stone, glass, and metal without ordinary tools.”
Medieval Jewish tradition
Hebrew/Aramaic
shamir
“The miraculous agent said to have been used in preparing stones for Solomon’s Temple without iron.”
Modern English
English
shamir; shemir
“A transliterated loanword referring to the legendary stone-cutting worm or substance.”