מָצַץ
𐤌𐤑𐤑
mâtsats
H4711 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To suck, to draw out liquid by suction, especially in the context of a child nursing from its mother or extracting juice or milk from something. The verb is primarily used to describe the act of suckling or extracting by means of the mouth, most notably of infants or young animals feeding from the mother, but can also be used metaphorically for the action of extracting sustenance or benefit.
Semantic Range
to suck (from the breast), to suck out (juice, honey, milk), to nurse (as an infant), to extract by suction; metaphorically, to draw out (benefit, sustenance)
Root / Etymology
From the root מָצַץ (מצץ), which carries the basic meaning of 'to suck.' The root suggests the physical act of drawing liquid into the mouth by creating suction. The form is consistent with other Hebrew verbs describing natural, bodily, or agricultural processes. There are no clear cognates in other Semitic languages, and the root is primarily attested in Biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb מָצַץ appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is generally connected to literal suckling, such as feeding at the breast, a common daily reality in the ancient Israelite household. In some contexts it may extend to sucking out juice or liquid from fruit (e.g., honeycomb), reflecting a broader sense of extracting or drawing out by suction. The word is not common for milking livestock; a different verb (חלב) is typically applied to that activity. Later Hebrew and Aramaic sources preserve the same sense, but rabbinic usage expanded metaphorically to learning or drawing knowledge. Most English translations render as 'suck' or 'suck out,' which captures the literal but not always the metaphorical extension seen in post-biblical usage. The verb is related to the noun מֹצֵץ (môtsêts, 'suckling infant'), used in prophetic and poetic passages to evoke vulnerability or dependence, especially during times of disaster (cf. Lamentations, Isaiah).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to suck; milk.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מצץ (m-ṣ-ṣ) — to suck, to draw out by suction, to extract liquid
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4711-01 |
תָּמֹ֛צּוּ | tamotsu | HVqi2mp |
you may suck | you (masculine plural) will suck | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4711-01 |
Isaiah 66:11 | תָּמֹ֛צּוּ | tamotsu | HVqi2mp |
you may suck | you (masculine plural) will suck |