Classical Arabic - English Dictionary

by Edward William Lane (1801-1876)

Toggle Menu

ويل ى يأ


ى

Arabic Letter ى

The twenty-eighth letter of the alphabet: called يَآءٌ. It is one of the letters termed soft, or weak, and is a letter of prolongation and of augmentation. As a numeral it signifies Ten.

Root: ى - Entry: ى Dissociation: B

ى for يا frequently occurs in the phrase يَرَسُولَ ٱللّٰهِ, and in يَأَيُّهَا.

Root: ى - Entry: ى Signification: B2

ى inserted to give fulness of sound to kesreh, see art. ا.

Root: ى - Entry: ى Signification: B3

Used لِلإِنْكَارِ, see الف الاستنكار in art. ا.

Root: ى - Entry: ى Signification: B4

ى with sheddeh followed by ة converts a part. n. into a quasi-inf. n., as المَضْرُوبِيَّةُ, “the being beaten.” So, by the relative ى, يَآءُ النِسْبَةِ, substs. and even particles are converted into abstract nouns of quality, as اِسْمِيَّةٌ and كَيْفِيَّةٌ.

Root: ى - Entry: ى Dissociation: C

يَا is the most common of vocative particles, used in calling to him who is near; [like O!]; and to him who is distant; [like Ho there! Holloa!]; and to him who is between near and distant; [like ho! what ho!]; (Ibn-el-Kátib, in the Káfiyeh, cited in TA, art. إِمَّا.)

Root: ى - Entry: ى Signification: C2

يَالَ for يَا آلَ, see ل.

Root: ى - Entry: ى Signification: C3

يَايَا and يَايَهْ, see art. أَيَا.


Indication of Authorities

Lexicological and Grammatical Terms

Lexicologists and Grammarians Cited