shoresh

Shoresh, written in Hebrew as שורש, literally translates as "root." In linguistics and Hebrew grammar, it refers to the core consonantal skeleton of a word—the basic unit from which related forms are derived. The concept appears in classical and modern studies of Hebrew and other Semitic languages, where the root carries the core semantic field for a family of words.

Most Hebrew roots consist of three consonants (triliteral), though some have two or four. Words are formed by interleaving vowels and applying morphological patterns called binyanim, which modify voice, aspect, and meaning. Prefixes and suffixes add grammatical information. For example, the root כתב (k-t-b) yields forms such as כָּתַב (katav, he wrote) and מִכְתָּב (miktav, a letter) among others in different binyanim. The shoresh system links semantically related words across families, enabling etymological and lexical analysis.

Beyond grammar, Shoresh appears as a proper noun in Hebrew-speaking contexts. It is used as a place name in Israel and as part of personal names or institutional titles, reflecting the central metaphor of origin and basis. In academic and linguistic discussions, the term is also employed to denote the source or origin of a concept.