עוֹלָם m.n. (pl. עוֹלָמוֹת, also עוֹלָמִים) 1 long duration, antiquity. 2 continuous existence, eternity, uninterrupted future. 3 world (in the Bible, with the possible exception of one case, Eccles. 3:11, עוֹלָם never has the meaning ‘world’). PBH 4 mankind, humanity. PBH 5 pleasures of life. MH 6 community. [Related to BAram. and Aram. עָלַם, עָלְמָא, Syr. עָלְמָא (= eternity; world; whence prob. Ethiop. ‘ālam, ‘eternity; world’), Ugar. ‘lm (= continuity, eternity), Arab. ‘ālam (= world). According to some scholars these words lit. mean ‘the hidden, unknown time’, and derive from base עלם (= to hide). According to several other scholars the above words are related to Akka. ullu, ullānu (= remote time), so that – ām in עוֹלָם, etc., would be a suff. cp. לְעוֹלָם, מֵעוֹלָם. cp. also עָלַם, עָלְמָא.] Derivatives: עוֹלָמִי, עוֹלָמִית.