H8580

תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת

tan.she.metH:N-F

chameleon

1) an unclean animal of some kind 1a) an unclean bird 1a1) perhaps the ibis, water-hen, species of owl, barn owl 1b) an unclean lizard 1b1) perhaps the chameleon 1c) perhaps an extinct lizard or bird, exact meaning unknown

Full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon entry

תִּנְשֶׁ֫מֶת noun feminine an animal; — ׳ת Lev 11:18, תִּנְשָּׁ֑מֶת Lev 11:30; Deut 14:16: —

1. unclean bird, the ibis, water-hen, ᵐ5. πορφυρίων, (accusative Tristr^{NHB 249}); or species of owl (Di Bu SS); pelican (Ges): Lev 11:18 = Deut 14:16.

2. unclean שֶׁרֶץ Lev 11:30, lizard (Saad Tristr^{NHB 120}), or chameleon (Bo^{Hieroz. i. 1078 ff.; ed. Rosenm. ii. 503 ff.}), so most; (deriving name from alleged living on air, Plin^{NH viii. 51}; but this not applicable to 1; compare Lag^{BN 130 f.}).

1 occurrence

Leviticus 11:18