nfr

Possibly from Proto-Afroasiatic *fir- (“to be good”) with an additional *nV- prefix.[1] Compare also Tamahaq ⵉⴼⵔⴰⵔ (ifrar, “best”) and Saho feer (“good”).

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /nɛfɛr/
  • Conventional anglicization: nefer

 3-lit.

1. (intransitive) to be(come) of superior or admirable quality, to be(come) fine, good, or wonderful
   • 12th Dynasty, coffin of Nakhtankh, British Museum EA 35285:

     […] qrst nfrt m jz.f nfr n ẖrt-nṯr […]

     […] a good burial in his wonderful tomb of the necropolis […]

2. (intransitive) to be(come) pleasant or gratifying to the senses
   1. (intransitive) to be(come) beautiful or fair, to look good
   2. (intransitive, of scents and flowers) to smell good
   3. (intransitive, of food and drinks) to taste good
3. (intransitive, of periods of time) to be(come) pleasant or enjoyable to live through
4. (intransitive, of people) to acquire or have good or pleasant qualities, to be capable, agreeable, or benevolent
5. (intransitive, of work) to be done well or competently
6. (intransitive, of medicine) to be(come) effective
7. (intransitive, of names) to acquire or have a good reputation

Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value)

1. Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value): fine, beautiful, pleasant, etc.

Along with bjn and ꜥꜣ, nfr is one of the few Egyptian adjectives that continued to show remnants of gender and number inflection into Late Egyptian (and beyond).[3]

See the ‘Alternative forms’ section under the verb above.

See the ‘Derived terms’ under the verb above.

• Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value)
  • Coptic: ⲛⲟⲩϥⲉ (noufe) (Sahidic, Akhmimic), ⲛⲟⲩϥⲓ (noufi) (Bohairic, Fayyumic)

 m

1. fine or good person
2. (with following genitive) benefactor (of someone), welldoer
3. (with following plural genitive) the best (person) among…, the best one of…

See the ‘Alternative forms’ section under the verb above.

 m

1. good, goodness, pleasingness (in opposition to bjn)
2. good qualities or deeds (of a person)
3. something fine, good, beautiful, pleasing

Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value)

1. good, sure, fine
2. correct, that’s right

1. well

See the ‘Alternative forms’ section under the verb above.

 proclitic

1. not even, not at all

In Middle Egyptian, this particle is found only in the constructions nfr pw, nfr n, and nfr ꜣ.

Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value)

• nfrw (“depletion, deficiency, zero”)

• Erman, Adolf; Grapow, Hermann (1928) Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache‎, volume 2, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN, page 253.1–256.15, 257.12–257.15, 258.11–258.17
• James P[eter] Allen (2010) Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 94–95, 194–195.
• Hoch, James (1997) Middle Egyptian Grammar, Mississauga: Benben Publications, →ISBN, page 42