Word journey
The word amen
so be it; truly
The journey
| Form | Language | Date | Sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| ʾāmēn | Biblical Hebrew · Judaism | 600 BCE | certainly, truly; a response affirming a blessing |
| amḗn | Koine Greek · Judaism | 250 BCE | truly, so be it |
| āmēn | Ecclesiastical Latin · Christianity | 400 CE | so be it |
| āmen | Old English · Christianity | 1000 CE | amen, at first only at the end of the Gospels |
| āmīn | Arabic · Islam | 700 CE | amen, said after the Fatiha |
What is certain and what is not
From the Semitic root of firmness and trust. The popular link to the Egyptian god Amun, or to Sanskrit Aum, appears in no standard etymological reference. The Arabic date is approximate.