Somekh
/soʊˈmɛx/noun
A Hebrew word meaning one who supports, relies upon, or upholds, also used in Jewish religious contexts for a person connected with semikhah, or rabbinic ordination.
Did you know?Somekh comes from the same Hebrew root associated with semikhah, the laying-on of hands through which religious authority was traditionally transmitted.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
סמך (s-m-kh)
“To support, uphold, lean upon, or rely on”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
סוֹמֵךְ (somekh)
“Supporting, sustaining, or relying upon; the masculine active participle of the root”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Hebrew
סמיכה (semikhah)
“Laying on of hands; the transmission or conferral of authority”
Medieval Jewish usage
Hebrew
סומך (somekh)
“A supporter or one who relies upon another, with related religious and legal senses”
Modern English Jewish usage
English
somekh
“A transliteration of the Hebrew term, chiefly encountered in discussions of Jewish language, religious authority, or Hebrew grammar”