H1709 דָּג dâg → Derivative
6 languagesDerivative of root דגה — canonical: H1711 דָּגָה (4 family members).
A fish; an aquatic animal with fins and scales, generally living in rivers, lakes, or the sea. In biblical contexts, refers to fish as both individual creatures and as a collective food resource, depending on context. May also appear as a symbol of abundance or, less commonly, in imagery of danger or chaos (e.g., fish as prey, representing the fate of defeated human enemies).
Etymology
Root: דגה (d-g-h), meaning 'to multiply, be numerous, increase abundantly,' reflecting the prolific reproductive qualities observed in fish. The word is a nominal formation from this root, with the form דָּג (dag) for the singular and דָּגִים (dagim) for the plural. There is no strong evidence for derivation from דאג ('to be anxious' or 'to fear'), nor is the root דגה associated with motion; rather, its sense is based on abundance.
Reflexes · not yet grouped by proto-form
| Language | Word | Meaning | Segmentation | Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digo (Mijikenda subgroup) | dagaa | small fish | -dagaa | |
| Fipa (Mambwe-Lungu, Tanzania) | ndaga | fish (small fish) | ndaga | |
| Kimbundu (Angola) | ndage | fish | ndage | |
| Mambwe-Lungu (Zambia, Tanzania) | ndaga | small fish; sardine | -ndaga | |
| Swahili | dagaa | small fish (specifically, tiny edible fish such as sardines on the East African coast) | dagaa | |
| Umbundu | ondage | fish | ndage |