אלמלא

Hebrew

Alternative forms

• אִלְמָלֵי

Etymology

From Arabic إما لَ (ʾimmā lā), equivalent to إما (ʾimmā, “if even”) +‎ لَ (lā, “not”) cognate with Hebrew לֹא (lo). Likely adapted to form the compound אִי ('i, “not having, not being”) +‎ לְמַלֵּא (lemalé, “to fulfill”).

Conjunction

אִלְמָלֵא • ('ilmalé)

1. unless, if not

   לֹא הָיִיתִי נוֹסֵעַ לַהַצָּגָה אִלְמָלֵא רָכַשְׁתִּי כַּרְטִיס מִבְּעוֹד מוֹעֵד.

   I would not go to the show if I had not obtained a ticket in advance.

2. without, were it not for

   הָיִיתִי נִכְשָׁל בַּמִּבְחָן אִלְמָלֵא הַיֶּדַע הָרַב שֶׁלִּי בְּעִבְרִית.

   I would have failed the test were it not for my great knowledge of Hebrew.