مهر

Frequency

Common West Semitic term; compare Ugaritic 𐎎𐎅𐎗 (mhr), Old South Arabian 𐩣𐩠𐩧𐩩 (mhrt, “wealth, possessions, commodities, goods”), Biblical Hebrew מָהַר (mahar, “to acquire by exchange, to barter, to purchase”), Biblical Hebrew מֹהַר (mṓhar, “bridal payment, purchasing price”), Classical Syriac ܡܗܪܐ (“bride-price”), Nabataean 𐢓𐢇𐢛 (mohar). Uncertain connection to highly productive Akkadian 𒈠𒄩𒀸 (maḫārum, “to face or meet; to accept, to receive; to conduct; to do business, to shift commodities, to transact; to accept valuables, staples, or persons; to take in or collect offers, to take in women by dowries”) and Soqotri móḥor (“to offer”), as the sound change complicates the semantic overlaps. Comparison to Middle Persian mtr' (/⁠mihr⁠/, “contract, bond”) is fundamentally coincidental.