Mem (also spelledMeem,Meme, orMim) is the thirteenthletter of theSemitic abjads, includingHebrewmēmמ‎,Aramaicmem 𐡌,Syriacmīm ܡ,Arabicmīmم‎, andPhoenicianmēm 𐤌. Its sound value is[m]. It is also related to theAncient North Arabian 𐪃‎‎‎,South Arabian𐩣, andGe'ezመ. The Phoenician letter gave rise to theGreekmu (Μ),Etruscan,LatinM, andCyrillicМ.

Mem is believed to derive from theEgyptianhieroglyphic symbol for water,

which had been simplified by thePhoenicians and named after their word for "water",mem (), ultimately coming fromProto-Semitic*may-.

The letter is namedmīm, and is written in several ways depending on its position in the word:

Some examples on its uses inModern Standard Arabic:

Mīm is used in the creation ofism words (i.e.nouns andadjectives; they are treated fundamentally the same inArabic grammar). Specifically,mīm is used in the creation of themasdar (verbal noun) of Stem III verbs (themasdar of verbs on the patternfāʿala ismufāʿala), of subject and object nouns for verbs of Stems II-X (using the example of Stem II, subject nouns—calledfāʿil words because of their form in Stem I—aremufaʿʿil for verbs of Stems II-X, and object nouns—calledmafʿūl also because of their Stem I form—take the formmufaʿʿal for verbs of Stems II-X). Place-nouns are also created withmīm; the patternmafʿal is used to createmaktab "office" from thetriliteralk-t-b (to write) andmaṣnaʿ "factory" fromṣ-n-ʿ (to make).

Orthographic variants of non-final form
Various print fonts			Cursive Hebrew	Rashi script
Serif	Sans-serif	Monospaced
מ	מ	מ

Hebrew spelling:מֵם

Mem represents a bilabial nasal[m].

Orthographic variants of final form
Various Print Fonts			Cursive Hebrew	Rashi Script
Serif	Sans-serif	Monospaced
ם	ם	ם

In Hebrew, Mem, likeKaph,Nun,Pe, andTzadi, has a final form, used at the end of words: its shape changes fromמ‎ toם‎.

Ingematria, Mem represents the number 40 in both the Standard and Mispar Gadol Methods of Gematria; However, (mem sofit) final mem's value is 40 in the Standard Method and 600 in the Mispar Gadol method. The Standard Method adds the values ofTav andResh (400+200) to denote the value of mem sofit.

In theSefer Yetzirah, the letter Mem is King over Water, Formed Earth in the Universe, Cold in the Year, and the Belly in the Soul.

As an abbreviation, it stands for metre. In theIsraeli army it can also stand formefaked,commander. In Hebrew religious texts, it can stand forthe name of GodMakom, the Place.

Mem is associated withThe Hanged Man (Atu XII), the element of water and the path between Geburah and Hod on the Tree of Life.

• Nun (letter)

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMem (letter).

• Phoenician alphabet
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• Letters with final form

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