ad me'ah v'esrim

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Pronunciations

ad me'ah v'esrim (ahd MAY-uh vih-ES-reem) listen
ad me'ah ve'esrim (ahd MAY-ah vih-es-REEM) listen
ad me'ah ve'esrim (ahd meh-AH vih-es-REEM) listen
ad me'ah ve'esrim (ahd MAY-ah vih-ES-reem) listen

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Definitions

  • interj. 'May you/he/she live until a hundred and twenty.'

Example Sentences

  • "My aunt is 84." "Kenaynehara, ad me'ah v'esrim."

  • "On his birthday, David's friends wished him 'ad me'ah v'esrim.'"

    Listen to recordings of this sentence: ( Recording 1)

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Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew
  • Yiddish
  • Modern Hebrew

Etymology

  • עד מאה ועשרים, lit. 'until 120'

      • Who Uses This

      • Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education
      • Israel: Diaspora Jews who feel connected to Israel and have spent time there

      Regions

      • North America
      • Great Britain

      Dictionaries

      • None

      Alternative Spellings

      ad me'ah ve'esrim, ad meah veesrim

Notes

  • Refers to the length of Moses' life.

    Often said with the word shana (Heb. שָׁנָה 'year') appended: "ad me'ah v'esrim shana" ("until 120 years").

    Often used as a birthday wish for long life, or when mentioning a person who is getting on in years.

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