Mem

By: Crawford Howell Toy, M. Seligsohn

Thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; the meaning of the name is "water," the primitive shape of the letter resembling waves (see Alphabet). "Mem" has two forms: one for the beginning or middle of a word (מ), and one for the end (ם). Its numerical value (in post-Biblical writings) is 40. Being a labial, it interchanges in the Semitic group of languages with other labials, that is to say, with פ, ו, ב and sometimes also with the liquids ר, נ, ל. In composition it appears as a prefix, denoting place, time, instrument, or agent, and is employed to form all participles except the "ḳal" and "nif'al," and numerous substantives.

MEM.—The thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and as such employed in the 119th Psalm to designate the 13th part, each verse of which begins with this letter.

mām, mem (,מ )ם: The 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, transliterated in this Encyclopedia as m. It came also to be used for the number 40. See ALPHABET, for name, etc.