ENGLISH
REFERENCE

noah

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈnoʊə// noah Archaic Slang

n. a famous man from the Bible who built a huge boat to save his family and all kinds of animals from a great flood.

n. a biblical patriarch who, according to the Book of Genesis, constructed an ark to preserve his family and pairs of every animal species during a divinely mandated deluge.


SIMPLE

The story of Noah and the ark is very famous.

CONTEXTUAL

In religious studies, the narrative of Noah serves as a primary example of a covenant between a deity and humanity.

COMPLEX

Scholars often compare the account of Noah to earlier Mesopotamian flood myths, such as the story of Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh, noting significant thematic and structural parallels.

Etymology 1

From Biblical Hebrew נֹחַ (nóakh, nṓaḥ).

Etymology 2

From Biblical Hebrew נֹעָה (no`áh).

Etymology 3

Abbreviation of Australian rhyming slang Noah's ark (“shark”).

Usage

Usually functions as a proper noun; when used as a common noun, it typically refers to a person who survives a disaster or protects others.

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