Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A deity in Mesopotamian mythology: Tammuz is the Sumerian and Babylonian god of shepherds, pastures, and vegetation. He is the consort of the goddess Inanna (Ishtar).
   • A month in the Hebrew calendar: Tammuz is the tenth month of the civil year and the fourth month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar, typically corresponding to parts of June and July in the Gregorian calendar.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun (Mythology):

  • The ancient ritual lamented the descent of Tammuz into the underworld.
  • In the myth, Inanna searches for her lost husband, Tammuz.

• Proper noun (Calendar):

  • The fast of the 17th of Tammuz commemorates the breach of Jerusalem's walls.
  • The holiday falls in the month of Tammuz.

Advanced Usage

• "The fast of Tammuz": Refers to a minor Jewish fast day (the 17th of Tammuz) marking the beginning of a three-week mourning period.
  • The community observed the fast of Tammuz at dawn.

Variants and Related Words

• Dumuzid: The original Sumerian name for the god Tammuz.
• Thammuz: An alternate historical spelling for Tammuz.

Synonyms

• Dumuzi: (Mythology) A direct synonym for the god Tammuz in Sumerian texts.
• Du'uzu: (Calendar) The Akkadian name for the month.

Noun

1. Sumerian and Babylonian god of pastures and vegetation; consort of Inanna
2. the tenth month of the civil year; the fourth month of the ecclesiastic year (in June and July)