Quranic root
شطن
sh · ṭ · n
The root's central semantic orientation is distance or remoteness.
The basic idea extends from physical distance to remoteness from truth or divine mercy, opposition, and rebellion. The rope is understood through the distance between its ends. The common derivation of شَيْطَانٌ connects it with being remote from truth, while an alternative analysis derives it from شَاطَ meaning to burn or burn with anger.
- Maqāyīs · row 2640
- Lane · entry 38555
- Lane · entry 38563
- Mufradāt · row 768
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 88
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَيْطَان
shayṭān
- Part of speech
- Noun / Proper noun
- Quran occurrences
- 88 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Satan; the devil understood as a particular adversarial being who opposes and misleads.
The form occurs both with proper-name force and as a definite common noun. This sense is distinct from the generic plural or common-noun use for rebellious beings.
- Lane · entry 38563
- Mufradāt · row 768
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:120word 3
“Shaitaan”
Quran 37:65word 4
“(of) the devils”
A devil: a rebellious, corrupt, unbelieving, insolent, or audacious being.
In Quranic usage, the plural may refer to devils among the jinn and human beings, including those who associate with or influence others. The definition does not require a particular animacy class beyond the Quran-attested human and jinn applications.
- Lane · entry 38563
- Mufradāt · row 768
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:112word 6
“devils”
Quran 2:14word 10
“their evil ones”
A serpent, especially a foul-looking or maned kind.
This is an alternative lexical interpretation of the Quranic comparison in 37:65, where the heads of the shayatin are explained by some authorities as the heads of such serpents. The same expression is also understood in the ordinary sense of imagined ugly or repulsive devils; another phrase-level interpretation names a foul plant, not a separate meaning of this headword.
- Lane · entry 38563
- Mufradāt · row 768
Selected Quran examples
Quran 37:65word 4
“(of) the devils”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:14شَيَـٰطِينِهِمْtheir evil ones
- 2:36ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُthe Shaitaan
- 2:102ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُthe devils
- 2:102ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَthe devils
- 2:168ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚthe Shaitaan
Broader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 15 Classical meanings
شَطَنَ
To be or become distant or remote; said of an abode, to be far away.
The same verb also has an explicitly figurative use for being remote from truth and from God's mercy.
- Lane · entry 38555
شَطَنَ
To enter into the earth, penetrating it and becoming concealed or firmly fixed within it.
The construction شَطَنَ فِي الأَرْضِ is used for this meaning.
- Lane · entry 38555
شَطَنَ
To turn away from another in opposition to that person's design, aim, direction, or course.
This is the transitive construction شَطَنَهُ, explained as opposing him in what he intended or pursued.
- Lane · entry 38555
شَطَنَ
To bind someone with a شَطَن, a rope or long rope.
This is a transitive use with the rope as the binding instrument.
- Lane · entry 38555
أَشْطَنَ
To make or cause someone to be distant or remote.
Causative Form IV usage.
- Lane · entry 38556
شَيْطَنَ
To act as a devil or to become and behave like a devil, displaying excessive pride, corruption, unbelief, rebellion, insolence, or audacity.
This is a derived verb meaning to assume the character or conduct associated with شَيْطَان.
- Lane · entry 38557
شَطَنٌ
A rope, especially a long or strongly twisted rope used for drawing water.
The plural is أَشْطَانٌ; the term can also occur in descriptions of a strong or difficult-to-control horse tied with two ropes.
- Lane · entry 38559
شَطُونٌ
Distant or remote; of a journey or expedition, far away; of a war, difficult or remote; of a well, deep and curving; and of a spear, long and crooked.
The well, war, and spear applications are context-specific extensions of the adjective's distance, depth, or length imagery.
- Lane · entry 38560
شَطِينٌ
Distant or remote.
An adjectival synonym of the distance branch of the root.
- Lane · entry 38561
شَاطِنٌ
Distant or remote, especially with respect to a place of alighting or abode; figuratively, far from truth or divine mercy, and bad or corrupt.
The bad or corrupt sense is an explicitly marked figurative extension, not merely an example of physical distance.
- Lane · entry 38562
شَيْطَانٌ
In the expression شَيْطَانُ الفَلَا, thirst.
An idiomatic figurative use associated with the waterless desert.
- Lane · entry 38563
شَيْطَانٌ
A blameworthy faculty, power, or propensity in a person; in idiomatic use, overpowering anger or pride.
This is a figurative Classical Arabic use of the noun for a morally harmful inner force, distinct from the Quranic designation of a devil or Satan.
- Lane · entry 38563
شَيْطَانٌ
A distinctive hot-iron brand made vertically on the upper haunch or thigh of a camel, extending toward the hock.
A technical marking term, probably motivated by resemblance to a serpent.
- Lane · entry 38563
الشَّيْطَانِيَّةُ
A sect of extravagant zealots among the Shiite schismatics.
The sect name is derived from the appellation شَيْطَانُ الطَّاقِ and is a historical proper designation.
- Lane · entry 38564
مُشَاطِنٌ
A person who draws a bucket from a well using two ropes.
The participial noun is defined by the occupational action of drawing with two شَطَن ropes.
- Lane · entry 38565
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The etymology of شَيْطَان is disputed: the more common analysis connects it with شَطَنَ, while another derives it from شَاطَ, “to burn” or “to burn with anger.”
In 37:65, the comparison involving the heads of the shayatin has multiple classical interpretations, including imagined ugly devils, a type of serpent, and a named foul plant; these alternatives should not be treated as interchangeable lexical definitions.