אישׁ, אושׁ (Stem assumed in Thes for אִישׁ; existence & mng. somewhat dub. Thes (Add) & most derive אִישׁ fr. [אִנְשְׁ] √אנשׁ (q. v.) In favour are pl. אֲנָשִׁים, fem. אִשָּׁה = [אִנְשָׁה], lack of proven √אישׁ, & lack of clear parallels for אישׁ in cogn. lang. Against the deriv. of אִישׁ fr. inš is the vocalization (י ִ, and that fully written, not ֵ), maintained even with suff., the (rare) pl. אִישִׁים, the impossibility of deriving אִישׁ from same √ (אִשָּׁה fr. Arabic), the existence of אֱנוֹשׁ as parallel form, and the (exceptional) parallel Aram. אישׁ (Inscr. of Carpentras), also Ar. Arabic (cf. Frey) ∥ Arabic; MI, SI, Ph. אשׁ are not decisive; Sab. has hoth אסם & אנסם; the former app. = אִישׁ, the latter אֱנוֹשׁ; but on former cf. DHMZK 1884. 360 & Sab. Den km. 37. On the whole, probability seems to favour √אישׁ; Thes gave mng. be strong; Dl HA 9. Pr 161 comp. As. išanu, strong; (Dl W. p. 244), & n.pr. יְהוֹאָשׁ; cf. also Prät LOPh. Feb. 1884; otherwise DHM l.c. & ZMG 1883, 330 & esp. Nö ZMG 1886, 739 Lag BN 68; cf. also Wetzst in De Psalmen. ed. 4. p. 888 al. v. also אנשׁ, אֱנוֹשׁ
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