עִיקָּר, עִקָּר m. (עָקַר) 1) root. Kil. VII, 1 הע׳ השני the second root (that of the slip, v. אַרְכּוּבָה); a. fr.—Pl. עִיקָּרִים, עִיקָּרִין, עִקָּ׳. Ib. 2 ועִקָּרֵיהֶם נראין and the roots of the sets are visible. Sabb. XIV, 3 כוס ע׳ root-drink (a medicine for gonorrhœa). Tosef. Yeb. VIII, 4 האיש … כוס ע׳ שלא יוליד a man must not take a root-drink for the purpose of becoming impotent. Sabb. l. c. שמן ע׳ oil in which roots have been soaked. Y. Shek. VI, beg. 49ᶜ שבו שולקין את הע׳ (oil) in which they boiled the roots (for frankincense); Hor. 11ᵇ; Kerith. 5ᵃ משלק בו הע׳. Ib.Kerith. 5ᵃ משלק בו הע׳. Ib. והלא לסוך הע׳ אינו סופק but there was not even oil enough to oint the roots (much less to soak them). Pesik. Par., p. 40ᵇ; Tanḥ. Ḥuck. 8, a. e. מביאין ע׳ ומעשנין וכ׳ they get certain roots (and kindle them), and let the smoke rise under him; a. e.—Trnsf. origin. Keth. 77ᵃ מעִיקָּרוֹ from its origin (shaft), v. חָתַךְ.—עִיקַּר מיטרין, v. מִיטְרִין. —2) essence, reality, main object, chief. Y. R. Hash. III, end, 59ᵃ עיקרו לא נחש הוא (not עיקרה) is not its (the saraf’s) real name naḥash? Snh. 87ᵃ דבר שעיקרו מדברי וכ׳ a thing (law) which in its main aspect is found in the Torah, but the details of which are based on Soferic tradition (v. סוֹפֵר). Y. Sot. VI, 21ᵃ top ע׳ עדותו the main testimony in the case. Ber. 12ᵇ (ref. to Jer. XXIII, 7, sq.) לא שתעקר … אלא שתהא שעבוד מלכיות ע׳ וכ׳ not that the memory of the exodus from Egypt will be entirely effaced, but the delivery from servitude to the empires will be the chief event commemorated, and the exodus from Egypt subordinate to it (v. טָפֵל). Ib. 13ᵃ ישראל ע׳ Israel will be the chief name. Ruth R. to IV, 11, a. e., v. מְסוּבֶּה. Ib. (play on עקרה, Gen. XXIX, 31) ורחל היתה עיקרו … ורחל עֲקָרָה עִיקָּרָה Rachel was his (Jacob’s) main wife, for we read, ‘and Rachel was ʿḳʿăḳarah which means ʿiḳḳarah (the chief); Gen. R. s. 71 רחל היתה עיקרו של בית Rachel was the chief person of the household. Num. R. s. 14 (play on קערת, Num. VII, 61) אל תקרי קערת אלא עִקֶּרֶת … עִקֶּרֶת הבית היא היתה עיקר ביתו וכ׳ read not ḳaʿărath, but ʿiḳḳereth, typical of Rachel who was the chief of the house: she was the chief person &c. Succ. 50ᵇ ע׳ שירה בכלי the chief element in the Temple music is instrumental music; ע׳ שירה בפה the song is the essential element; a. v. fr.—טעם כע׳, v. טַעַם.—כפר בע׳, v. כָּפַר.—לא כל ע׳ not at all. Snh. 22ᵃ לא נשתנה כל ע׳ has not at all been changed. Ex. R. s. 16 אסור ליגע בה כל ע׳ must not touch her at all; a. fr.—[In later Hebr. literature: עִיקָּרִים עִקָּ׳ principles of faith.]