lem

See also: Appendix:Variations of "lem"

Languages (20)

Translingual

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Albanian • Aromanian • Cimbrian • Danish • Galician • Icelandic • Indonesian • Irish • Livonian • Malay • Middle English • Middle Irish • Mòcheno • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old Irish • Swedish • Vietnamese • Volapük • White Hmong

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Page categories

Translingual

Symbol

lem

1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Nomaande.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Nomaande terms

Albanian

Alternative forms

• len — dialectal

Etymology

Possibly from a Proto-Albanian *leudno, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- (“man, people”). Alternatively formed from polem.

Noun

lem m (plural leme, definite lemi, definite plural lemet)

1. people

Declension

Declension of lem

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	lem	lemi	leme	lemet
accusative		lemin
dative	lemi	lemit	lemeve	lemeve
ablative			lemesh

Aromanian

Alternative forms

• lemnu

Etymology

From Latin lignum. Compare Daco-Romanian lemn.

Noun

lem n (plural lemi)

1. wood

Cimbrian

Etymology

From Middle High German leben, from Old High German lebēn, from Proto-West Germanic *libbjan, from Proto-Germanic *libjaną (“to live; to be alive”). Cognate with German leben, English live.

Verb

lem (auxiliary håm)

1. (Luserna) to live at, reside

   Moine non lem atz Lusérn. ― My grandparents live in Luserna.

References

• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɛmˀ/, [ˈlɛmˀ]
• Rhymes: -ɛmˀ

Etymology 1

From Old Danish lim, from Old Norse limr, from Proto-Germanic *limuz (“branch, limb”), cognate with Norwegian, Swedish lem, English limb, Dutch leem.

Noun

lem n (singular definite lemmet, plural indefinite lemmer)

1. limb (arm or leg in a human or an animal)
2. (formal) penis
3. (dated) inmate (in an institution)

Declension

Declension of lem

neuter gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	lem	lemmet	lemmer	lemmerne
genitive	lems	lemmets	lemmers	lemmernes

Derived terms

• baglem
• fattiglem
• forlem
• langlemmet
• lemmeløs
• medlem
• sværlemmet

References

• “lem,2” in Den Danske Ordbog

Etymology 2

From Old Norse hlemmr, from Proto-Germanic *hlammiz (“noice; lid”), cognate with Norwegian lem, Swedish läm, Old English hlemm, Gothic 𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌼𐌼𐌰 (hlamma).

Noun

lem c (singular definite lemmen, plural indefinite lemme)

1. hatch
2. trapdoor

Declension

Declension of lem

common gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	lem	lemmen	lemme	lemmene
genitive	lems	lemmens	lemmes	lemmenes

Derived terms

• faldlem
• kattelem
• loftslem

References

• “lem,1” in Den Danske Ordbog

Galician

Verb

lem

1. (reintegrationist norm) third-person plural present indicative of ler

Icelandic

Verb

lem (weak)

1. first-person singular present indicative of lemja
2. second-person singular imperative of lemja

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch lijm, from Middle Dutch lijm, from Old Dutch *līm, from Proto-Germanic *līmaz.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈlɛm/ [ˈlem]
• Rhymes: -ɛm
• Syllabification: lem

Noun

lèm (plural lem-lem)

1. glue (any sticky adhesive substance)

   Synonym: perekat

2. adhesive

   Synonym: perekat

Synonyms

• gam (Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore)
• perekat (Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore)

Derived terms

• leman
• mengelem
• pengelem
• pengeleman

• lem batang
• lem dingin
• lem ikan
• lem kanji
• lem kental
• lem laminasi
• lem panas
• lem super
• lem tembak
• lem tulang
• lem vinil

Further reading

• “lem”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lʲɛmˠ/

Contraction

lem (triggers lenition)

1. (Munster) contraction of le +‎ mo, literally “with my”

   Chuir sé cúl orm lem chuid oibre.

   It left me late with my work.

Related terms

Irish preposition contractions

	contracted with							copular forms
base form	an (“the sg”)	na (“the pl”)	mo (“my”)	do (“your”)	a (“his, her, their; which (present)”)	ár (“our”)	ar (“which (past)”)	before a consonant	before a vowel
									present/future	past/conditional
de (“from”)	den	de na desna*	de mo dem*	de do ded*, det*	dá	dár		dar	darb	darbh
do (“to, for”)	don	do na dosna*	do mo dom*	do do dod*, dot*	dá	dár		dar	darb	darbh
faoi (“under, about”)	faoin	faoi na	faoi mo	faoi do	faoina	faoinár	faoinar		faoinarb	faoinarbh
i (“in”)	sa, san	sna	i mo im*	i do id*, it*	ina	inár	inar		inarb	inarbh
le (“with”)	leis an	leis na	le mo lem*	le do led*, let*	lena	lenár	lenar		lenarb	lenarbh
ó (“from, since”)	ón	ó na ósna*	ó mo óm*	ó do ód*, ót*	óna	ónár	ónar		ónarb	ónarbh
trí (“through”)	tríd an	trí na	trí mo	trí do	trína	trínár	trínar		trínarb	trínarbh

*dialectal

Livonian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *lämbin. Akin to Finnish lämmin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlem/, [ˈlemː]

Adjective

lem (comparative (ve’l) jo lem, superlative amā lem)

1. warm

Noun

lem

1. warmth

Declension

Declension of lem (126)

	singular (ikšlu’g)	plural (pǟgiņlu’g)
nominative (nominatīv)	lem	lemmõd
genitive (genitīv)	lem	lemmõd
partitive (partitīv)	lemmõ	lemmidi
dative (datīv)	lemmõn	lemmõdõn
instrumental (instrumentāl)	lemmõks	lemmõdõks
illative (illatīv)	lemmõ	lemmiž
inessive (inesīv)	lemsõ	lemmis
elative (elatīv)	lemstõ	lemmist

References

• Tiit-Rein Viitso; Valts Ernštreits (2012–2013), “lem”, in Līvõkīel-ēstikīel-lețkīel sõnārōntõz [Livonian-Estonian-Latvian Dictionary]‎^[1] (in Estonian and Latvian), Tartu, Rīga: Tartu Ülikool, Latviešu valodas aģentūra

Malay

Etymology

Apocopic form of lembap (“slow, especially of brains”)

Adjective

lem (comparative lebih lem, superlative paling lem)

1. (colloquial) alternative form of lembap

References

• Hoogervorst, Tom (2015), “Malay youth language in West Malaysia”, in NUSA‎^[2], volume 58, number 3, →DOI, archived from the original on 26 April 2025, page 30

Middle English

Noun

lem

1. alternative form of leme

Middle Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈl̠ʲeβ̃/

Etymology 1

From Old Irish lem, from Proto-Celtic *limos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁élem (“mountain elm”).

Noun

lem m (genitive lim)

1. elm tree

Synonyms

• lemán

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 lem”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Etymology 2

From Proto-Celtic *lemos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃lemH- (“weak, broken, soft”).

Adjective

lem

1. soft, tender
2. weak, powerless
3. impotent (in sexual sense)
4. foolish, worthless

Descendants

• Irish: leamh
• Scottish Gaelic: leamh

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 lem”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Mutation

Mutation of lem

radical	lenition	nasalization
lem also llem after a proclitic ending in a vowel	lem pronounced with /l(ʲ)-/	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Middle Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Mòcheno

Etymology 1

From Middle High German leben, from Old High German lebēn, from Proto-West Germanic *libbjan, from Proto-Germanic *libjaną (“to live; to be alive”). Cognate with German leben, English live.

Verb

lem

1. to live

Etymology 2

From Middle High German leben, from Old High German lebēn (noun), from the verb. Cognate with German Leben.

Noun

lem n

1. life

References

• “lem” in Cimbrian, Ladin, Mòcheno: Getting to know 3 peoples. 2015. Servizio minoranze linguistiche locali della Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento, Italy.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lɛm]

Etymology 1

From Old Norse limr, from Proto-Germanic *limuz (“branch, limb”) (compare English limb).

Noun

lem (definite singular lemmen or lemen, indefinite plural lemmar or lemmer or lemar or lemer, definite plural lammane or lemmene or lemane or lemene)

1. limb
2. member
3. (euphemistic) penis

Etymology 2

From Old Norse hlemmr, from Proto-Germanic *hlammiz, as also Icelandic hlemmur.

Noun

lem m (definite singular lemmen, indefinite plural lemmar, definite plural lemmane)

1. hatch
2. trapdoor

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

lem

1. inflection of lemja:
   1. present
   2. imperative
2. imperative of lema and lemma

References

• “lem” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Anagrams

• mel

Old Irish

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *limos (compare Welsh llwyf, from a variant *leimos), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁élem (“mountain elm”); compare Latin ulmus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈl̠ʲeβ̃/

Noun

lem m (genitive lim)

1. elm tree

Declension

Masculine o-stem

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	lem	lemL	limL
vocative	lim	lemL	lemuH
accusative	lemN	lemL	lemuH
genitive	limL	lem	lemN
dative	lemL	lemaib	lemaib

Initial mutations of a following adjective:

• ^H = triggers aspiration
• ^L = triggers lenition
• ^N = triggers nasalization

Etymology 2

Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃lemH- (“weak, broken, soft”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈl̠ʲeβ̃/

Adjective

lem

1. soft, tender
2. weak, powerless

Declension

o/ā-stem

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	lem	lem	lem
vocative	lim* lem**
accusative	lem	lim
genitive	lim	lime	lim
dative	lem	lim	lem
plural	masculine	feminine/neuter
nominative	lim	lema
vocative	lemu lema†
accusative	lemu lema†
genitive	lem
dative	lemaib

*modifying a noun whose vocative is different from its nominative
**modifying a noun whose vocative is identical to its nominative
† not when substantivized

Derived terms

• lemlacht / lemnacht

Descendants

• Middle Irish: lem
  • Irish: leamh
  • Scottish Gaelic: leamh

Etymology 3

Alternative forms

• leim, lemm, lim, limm, lium, liumm

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈl̠ʲem/

Pronoun

lem

1. first-person singular of la

Descendants

• Scottish Gaelic: leam

Mutation

Mutation of lem

radical	lenition	nasalization
lem also llem in h-prothesis environments	lem pronounced with /lʲ-/	lem also llem

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “1 lem (‘elm tree’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 lem (‘soft’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse limr, from Proto-Germanic *limuz (“branch, limb”) (compare English limb).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛmː

Noun

lem c

1. a limb (major appendage of a human or animal)
3. a member (penis)

   Synonym: manslem

   1. (colloquial, euphemistic) an organ (penis – see usage notes)
      • 1993, Ronny & Ragge, “Pökpåsen [The rubber]”, in Let's Pök! [Let's Bone!]‎^[3]:

        Det låg en lapp bredvid min lem. Det stod "Mors, jag har stuckit hem". Pökpåsen är min bäste vän, och tack vare den har jag kvar min lem.

        There was [lay] a note next to my organ [might be the best match for tone here – member sounds a bit too formal even jokingly, and dick a bit too vulgar]. It said, "Ciao, I've gone home." The rubber is my best friend, and thanks to it I still have my organ.

Usage notes

Sometimes used in a more colloquial euphemistic sense in (sense 2), where it could also be translated as organ, dick, manhood, or the like.

Declension

Declension of lem

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	lem	lems
	definite	lemmen	lemmens
plural	indefinite	lemmar	lemmars
	definite	lemmarna	lemmarnas

Related terms

• manslem
• medlem

See also

• kuk
• läm

References

• “lem”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “lem”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “lem”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• Fula Ordboken

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• nhem

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [lɛm˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [lɛm˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [lɛm˧˧]

Adjective

lem • (淋, 𥋲)

1. smudged, soiled

   Cô Bé Lọ Lem ― Cinderella (literally, “The Soot-smeared Girl”)

Derived terms

• lấm lem
• lem luốc
• lem nhem (từ láy)

Volapük

Noun

lem (genitive lema, plural lems)

1. paralysis

Declension

Declension of lem

	Singular	Plural
Nominative	lem	lems
Genitive	lema	lemas
Dative	leme	lemes
Accusative	lemi	lemis
Predicative1	lemu	lemus
Vocative	o lem	o lems

1. Introduced in Volapük Nulik.

White Hmong

Etymology

From Thai เลี้ยว (líao) ("to turn"), with vowel reduction.

Verb

lem

1. to turn (to change direction of travel)
2. to change direction when driving