סְפוֹג, (ספג, cmp. ספח) a porous luxuriant growth, mushroom; sponge, any sponge-like material; wiper. Y. Sabb. VII, 10ᵃ (in Chald. dict.) ההן דגזז ס׳ וכ׳ he who cuts mushrooms etc. (on the Sabbath) is guilty of the acts of harvesting and of planting (the cutting being the means of advancing the growth). B. Kam. 115ᵇ; Succ. 50ᵃ; Yalk. Mal. 587 ארס … דומה לס׳ וכ׳ the venom of the serpent (on top of liquids) resembles a fungus (Ar.: a veil-like growth on the head of a certain sea-fish) and remains floating &c.; (Y. Ter. VII, 45ᵈ bot. עומד כסבכה, v. סְבָכָה). Kel. IX, 4 ס׳ שבלע וכ׳ a mushroom which has absorbed unclean liquids, though it is dry on the outside etc. Sabb. XXI, 3 ס׳ אם יש לו עור וכ׳ a sponge (used for sucking up liquids), if it has leather handles etc. Tosef. ib. V (VI), 3 ס׳ שע׳'ג המכה an absorbent substance (wool) put on a wound. Y. ib. XVII, 15ᶜ top ונתן עליה ס׳ יבש and he put on it a dry sucker (compress); Lev. R. s. 15; Lam. R. to IV, 20; a. fr.—Ab. V, 15 ס׳ שהוא סופג וכ׳ (a scholar indiscriminately cramming his mind is called) a sponge, because he absorbs every thing.—Pl. סְפוֹגִים, סְפוֹגִין. Y. Yeb. XVI, 15ᵈ top רצו לחתוך ס׳ (divers) wanted to cut sponges. Sabb. 129ᵇ ס׳ של צמר tufts of wool; (Tosef. ib. XV (XVI), 3 כסות). Ab. Zar. 18ᵃ הביאו ס׳ של צמד וכ׳ they took tufts of wool, soaked them with water, and put them onhis heart; a. e.—[Σπόγγος, σφόγγος seems to be of Semitic origin.]