עִבְרִי m.n. & adj. 1 Hebrew. NH 2 Jew. [Nomen gentilicium, of uncertain origin. According to some scholars formed from proper name עֵבֶר (= Eber), grandson of Arpachshad, with gentilic suff. ◌ִי. According to others formed from עֲבֶר (= side), with suff. ◌ִי, and lit. meaning ‘one from beyond the Euphrates’). It is possible that the Akka. name Ḫabiru, used to denote various groups of invaders of Palestine, mentioned in the TA letters from the 19th and 18th centuries BCE, is connected with the word עִבֽרִי. The name Ḫabiru is prob. a blend of the pl. part. of base ḫ-b-r (= to pass, wander), corresponding to Heb. עבר ᴵ (q.v.), and of Heb. עִבְרִי, which itself derives from the stem of עבר ᴵ (vide supra). Since there is no ‘ayin in the Akkadian, this letter is usually rendered in Akka. nouns of Heb. origin by ḫ. cp. Akka. Ḫumri (= Heb. עָמְרִי), Akka. ḫaparu (= Heb. עָפָר, ‘dust’), Akka. ḫullu (= עֹל, ‘yoke’), Akka. zuruḫ (= Heb. זֽרוֹעַ, ‘arm’). See ‘Habiru’ in my CEDEL.] Derivatives: עִבְרוּת, עִבְרִיּוּת, עִבְרִית, עבר ᴵⱽ, עברר, עברת. cp. שׁעבר.