Quranic root
شمس
sh · m · s
A root associated with movement, variation, and lack of settled stability.
The continually moving sun provides the central image; related developments describe sunny or clear conditions and, figuratively, beings or dispositions that resist remaining still, become refractory, or display hostility.
- Maqāyīs · row 2694
- Mufradāt · row 788
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 33
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَمْسٌ
shamsun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 33 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.
The sun: the solar body or disk, and the light diffused from it.
The noun may refer to the celestial solar body or to its radiating light. Quranic occurrences use the ordinary noun across varied grammatical cases and attached particles.
- Lane · entry 39221
- Mufradāt · row 788
Selected Quran examples
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:258بِٱلشَّمْسِthe sun
- 6:78ٱلشَّمْسَthe sun
- 6:96وَٱلشَّمْسَand the sun
- 7:54وَٱلشَّمْسَand the sun
- 10:5ٱلشَّمْسَthe sun
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 32 Classical meanings
شَمَسَ
To be or become sunny or sunshiny; of a day, to have sunshine, be clear or unobscured, or have vehement sun.
Used of a day or weather conditions.
- Lane · entry 39216
- Mufradāt · row 788
أَشْمَسَ
To become sunny or acquire sunshine.
A Form IV counterpart to the weather sense of شَمَسَ.
- Lane · entry 39219
- Mufradāt · row 788
شَمَسَ
Of a horse, to refuse to be ridden or mounted, take fright and break loose, or rebel against its rider.
The use describes forceful resistance and refusal to remain still; it is also applied to a she-camel in related derived usage.
- Lane · entry 39216
شَمَسَ
Of a woman, to abstain from looking at men and from exciting their desire.
A figurative use explicitly applied to a woman’s reserved or sexually non-encouraging conduct.
- Lane · entry 39216
شَمَسَ
To show enmity toward someone, making the hostility apparent or intending to act on it.
Reported especially with لِـ; a variant construction with فِي is also recorded.
- Lane · entry 39216
شَمَسَ
Of wine, to overcome and run away with its drinker.
A figurative construction comparing wine’s effect to a refractory horse.
- Lane · entry 39216
شَمَّسَ
To worship the sun.
Form II causative/intensive usage.
- Lane · entry 39217
شَمَّسَ
To spread or expose something in the sun or sunshine so that it dries.
Form II usage with an object being dried by exposure to sunlight.
- Lane · entry 39217
شَامَسَ
To oppose someone and treat him with enmity or hostility.
Form III reciprocal or adversative usage.
- Lane · entry 39218
أَشْمَسَ
To ascend a mountain toward the sun.
A rare lexically reported use, preserved as distinct from the weather sense.
- Lane · entry 39219
تَشَمَّسَ
To sit in the sun or sunshine, or to expose oneself to it.
Form V reflexive usage describing deliberate exposure to sunlight.
- Lane · entry 39220
تَشَمَّسَ
To be niggardly, tenacious, or avaricious toward someone.
Used with عَلَيْهِ in the reported construction.
- Lane · entry 39220
شَمْسٌ
An ancient idol called “the Sun.”
A classical religious and proper-name usage distinct from the celestial noun.
- Lane · entry 39221
شَمْسٌ
A kind of necklace or collar, its pendant or suspended ornament, a dog’s collar, or a related women’s ornament.
The term is treated as masculine in this ornamental sense and has the plural شُمُوسٌ.
- Lane · entry 39221
شَمْسٌ
A kind of comb formerly used by women for arranging their hair.
An archaic implement sense.
- Lane · entry 39221
شَمْسِيٌّ
Solar; of or relating to the sun.
Used in expressions such as “solar year.”
- Lane · entry 39224
شَمْسِيٌّ
The first annual increase in a flock of sheep or goats.
A specialized term reported in some Arab usage.
- Lane · entry 39224
شَمَاسٌ
The disposition of a horse that refuses to be ridden or mounted.
A noun of disposition corresponding to the refractory-horse usage of شَمَسَ.
- Lane · entry 39225
شَمَاسٌ
A woman’s disposition of abstaining from looking at men and from exciting their desire.
A figurative noun of disposition explicitly applied to a woman.
- Lane · entry 39225
شَمُوسٌ
A horse that refuses to be ridden, takes fright and runs away, or rebels against its rider; also, by extension, a she-camel with this disposition.
The plural forms شُمُسٌ and شُمْسٌ are reported for the animal sense.
- Lane · entry 39226
شَمُوسٌ
A woman who abstains from looking at men and from exciting their desire.
A figurative personal description derived from the refractory or non-yielding sense.
- Lane · entry 39226
شَمُوسٌ
A man who is refractory, untractable, perverse, stubborn, or obstinate; also one harsh or vehement in enmity.
A figurative description of a difficult disposition or hard opposition.
- Lane · entry 39226
الشَّمُوسُ
Wine that overcomes and runs away with its drinker.
A figurative noun based on the behavior of a refractory horse.
- Lane · entry 39226
شَمَّاسٌ
A Christian church official who keeps to the church and traditionally shaves the middle of his head; in later usage, a deacon.
The term is reported as non-native or not fully sound Arabic by some authorities.
- Lane · entry 39228
شَامِسٌ
A sunny or sunshiny day; a clear, cloudless, or intensely hot day.
Used adjectivally of a day and extended to closely related forms meaning clear or sunlit.
- Lane · entry 39229
شَامِسٌ
A neck bearing ornaments of the kind called شُمُوسٌ.
A possessive adjective describing a neck furnished with such ornaments.
- Lane · entry 39229
أَشْمَسُ
More, or most, resistant, incompliant, or obstinate.
A comparative or superlative adjective of resistance.
- Lane · entry 39230
مُشَمَّسٌ
Made or spread in the sun or sunshine to dry.
Passive participial usage describing something dried by solar exposure.
- Lane · entry 39232
مُشَمِّسٌ
A worshipper of the sun.
Active participial usage describing a person devoted to solar worship.
- Lane · entry 39233
مُتَشَمِّسٌ
One sitting in, setting himself up in, or exposing himself to the sun.
An active participle corresponding to تَشَمَّسَ in its sunlight-exposure sense.
- Lane · entry 39235
مُتَشَمِّسٌ
A man who defends what is behind him or is strong in what sustains and supports him.
A specialized description of steadfast self-protection or support.
- Lane · entry 39235
مُتَشَمِّسٌ
Extremely niggardly, tenacious, or avaricious.
A specialized personal-quality sense distinct from exposure to the sun.
- Lane · entry 39235
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
Classical lexical evidence distinguishes the solar body or disk from the light diffused from it, while the Quranic occurrences are represented under the single noun شَمْسٌ.