Number: 2059
Proto-Semitic: *ga/umm-at-
Meaning: (long) hair, mane
Arabic: ǯummat- 'toupet' [BK 1 322].
Another meaning of the same word 'chevelure abondante et qui retombe sur les épaules' may be influenced by the semantics of the apparently homonymous verbal root ǧamma 'être riche, abondant' [ibid. 321]
Tigre: gǝmmät 'long hair (that has not been cut for a long time)' [LH 568].
As for gamme 'kind of hairdress (crown of hair around the head)' compared by [DRS 141] (cf. the same semantic component in TNA and AMH), it may be contaminated with, or related to, gamma 'crown, diadem' [LH 566]
Tigrai (Tigriñña): gammä 'specie di corona di capelli che si lasciano intonsi o si intrecciano intorno al capo di ragazzi e ragazze' [Bass 819]
Amharic: gamma 'mane (of an equine); ribbon tied around the head' [K 1906]
Harari: gammä [LHar 72]
East Ethiopic: ZWY gamma, SEL gäme, WOL gämi 'mane' [LGur 275]
Gurage: EZ̆A gama, GYE gam_a, CHA MUH gamma, ENN gāmma, END gāmmä, MSQ GOG gammä, SOD gʷamme do. [LGur 275]; also END gämmām 'horses and mules' [ibid.].
According to Leslau, from CUSH: SID gamma, OROMO gāma, SOM SAHO AFAR gama [ibid.]
Notes: Scarce attestation (ARB and MOD ETH only) apparently supported by the AFRASIAN data (below); however, a possibility of an ARB loan in ETH (with a further semantic development thereof to 'mane' and 'horse'), and an ETH loan in CUSH and OMOT, though less likely, is not to be excluded. [DRS 141]: ARB, ETH
