H7832 שָׂחַק sâchaq → Root

16 languages

Root of the שׂחק family (3 members).

To laugh, express joy or amusement, often as audible laughter; to engage in playful or lighthearted activity; in extended usage, to mock, ridicule, or treat with derision. The primary lexical meaning is to laugh, but the verb is also used for both positive (joy, play, celebration) and negative (mockery, scorn, derision) actions depending on context.

Etymology From the root שׂחק, carrying the core sense of 'to laugh' or 'to play.' The root appears to denote audible expressions of emotion—primarily laughter—but by association extends to play or mockery. No clear cognates have been identified in related Semitic languages, so the etymology is considered native to Hebrew and its immediate linguistic relatives.
Language Word Meaning Segmentation Root
Bemba Seka To laugh
Chichewa seka to laugh
Ga seka to laugh
Ibibio Saak to laugh
Kikuyu ñeka to laugh
Kirundi seka laugh
Kongo seka to laugh, to mock
Lingala seka to laugh
Lozi Seya To laugh
Luganda Seka to laugh
Maragoli seka laugh
Nguni hleka to laugh
Shona seka laugh
Sukuma chika to laugh
Swahili cheka to laugh, to mock
Tonga seka to laugh

Family members (2)

Lexemes that inherit from this canonical via the SilexRoot family or an additional inheritance edge. Tags show the cognate-propagation status.

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