Quranic root
شوي
sh · w · y
The root centers on what is slight, non-vital, or diminished, including extremities, remnants, inferior things, and matters of little account.
From this orientation, the lexicon extends to bodily extremities and surviving portions, while roasting is explained as an action that alters or degrades meat through intense heat.
- Maqāyīs · row 2732
- 2
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 2
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَوَى
shawā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 1 occurrence
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
To roast or scorch with intense heat; in the Quranic construction, to scorch the faces.
The Quranic occurrence describes the effect of blazing heat on faces rather than the ordinary culinary preparation of meat.
- Lane · entry 39668
- Mufradāt · row 800
Selected Quran examples
Quran 18:29word 23
“(which) scalds”
شَوًى
shawan
- Part of speech
- Noun · collective
- Quran occurrences
- 1 occurrence
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 outer skin, especially the scalp or skin of the head.
In the Quranic expression in 70:16, this is one established interpretation of what the fire strips away; some lexical accounts extend the sense to the outer skin of any part of the body.
- Lane · entry 39677
Selected Quran examples
Quran 70:16word 2
“of the skin of the head”
The bodily extremities or other parts that are not a vital point, such as the hands, feet, or limbs.
In the Quranic expression in 70:16, the term is also interpreted as the extremities or non-vital parts of the body.
- Lane · entry 39677
- Mufradāt · row 800
Selected Quran examples
Quran 70:16word 2
“of the skin of the head”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 2 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 34 Classical meanings
شَوَى
To roast, broil, or fry meat.
The ordinary culinary use is applied to flesh-meat.
- Lane · entry 39668
شَوَى
To heat water.
A separate application of the basic action of subjecting something to heat.
- Lane · entry 39668
شَوَى
To cut off a portion from roasted meat.
A rarely reported usage whose authority is not specified in the cited account.
- Lane · entry 39668
شَوَّى
To give someone roasted meat, or to feed them with it; also, to give meat for them to roast, broil, or fry.
Form II causative or benefactive construction with a person as recipient.
- Lane · entry 39669
أَشْوَى
To feed someone with roasted meat, or to give them meat for roasting, broiling, or frying.
The construction may describe either supplying prepared roast meat or supplying meat to be cooked.
- Lane · entry 39671
أَشْوَى
To leave a portion of a meal, especially roasted meat, remaining.
Used of leaving part of one's supper or its roasted meat uneaten.
- Lane · entry 39671
أَشْوَى
Of wheat, to become fit to be rubbed by hand and roasted.
A specialized agricultural or food-preparation usage.
- Lane · entry 39671
أَشْوَى
Of palm branches, to become yellow as they dry.
An extended usage associating the change caused by drying with the effect of roasting.
- Lane · entry 39671
أَشْوَى
To acquire the worse or viler sort of cattle.
Applied to the acquisition of inferior livestock.
- Lane · entry 39671
أَشْوَى
Of a shooter or caster, to hit an extremity or other non-vital part of the target rather than a place where the wound would be fatal.
The object is struck but not at a vital point.
- Lane · entry 39671
أَشْوَى
To miss the object of one's aim.
An extended result of striking away from the intended target.
- Lane · entry 39671
أَشْوَى
To drop, leave out, or omit something.
A rare, tentatively reported extended usage.
- Lane · entry 39671
اِنْشَوَى
Of meat, to become roasted, broiled, or fried.
A passive or inchoative construction describing meat undergoing cooking.
- Lane · entry 39672
اِشْتَوَى
To prepare roasted, broiled, or fried meat, or to prepare it for oneself.
The form may be used reflexively or benefactively in relation to the preparation of roast meat.
- Lane · entry 39668
اِشْتَوَى
Of a she-camel, to be ridden until the heat of summer emaciates her and makes her appear burned.
A figurative or extended usage describing severe emaciation caused by prolonged travel and heat.
- Lane · entry 39673
شَوًى
A missed aim or a mistake.
Used as a quasi-verbal noun in connection with failing to hit the intended object.
- Lane · entry 39677
شَوًى
A paltry, mean, despicable, or inconsequential thing or affair.
An extended evaluation of something as having little worth or weight.
- Lane · entry 39677
شَوًى
The bad or inferior sort of camels, sheep, or goats, including their small or young specimens.
A collective livestock usage.
- Lane · entry 39677
شَوًى
A remaining portion or remnant, especially what remains after people or animals have perished.
The sense emphasizes the small surviving remainder.
- Lane · entry 39677
شَوًى
Preservation, or causing or allowing something to remain.
A rare extended usage equated with إبقاء.
- Lane · entry 39677
شِوَاء
Roasted, broiled, or fried meat; also a piece of such meat.
The form شِوَاء is the usual noun for prepared roast meat, with the piece-level use functioning as a singulative.
- Lane · entry 39679
شَوِيّ
Roasted, broiled, or fried; roasted meat.
An adjectival or passive-participial description of something subjected to cooking by heat.
- Lane · entry 39680
شُوَايَة
A cut-off or small portion, especially of meat; also a small piece of something large, a round bread cake, or a small residue left after cooking.
The word can denote a detached piece or a small remaining portion; related vocalic variants are reported in the same lexical discussion.
- Lane · entry 39684
شُوَايَة
A remaining portion of people or cattle after others have perished.
A collective use for survivors or remnants of a destroyed group.
- Lane · entry 39684
شُوَايَة
The bad or inferior sort of camels, sheep, or goats.
A livestock classification derived from the notion of a diminished or lesser portion.
- Lane · entry 39684
شَوَّاء
A seller of roasted, broiled, or fried meat.
An occupational noun.
- Lane · entry 39686
شَيَّان
Dragon's blood, the red resinous juice of certain trees.
A specialized botanical noun.
- Lane · entry 39687
شَيَّان
Far-seeing or possessing distant vision.
An adjectival use distinct from the botanical noun.
- Lane · entry 39687
شَاوِيّ
A possessor of sheep or goats.
A nisbah-like occupational or possessive adjective.
- Lane · entry 39688
شَاوِيّ
Of a palm branch, yellowed through drying.
An adjective describing a dried, yellowing palm branch.
- Lane · entry 39688
شَوْشَاة
A swift she-camel.
A specialized descriptive noun.
- Lane · entry 39689
مُشْوًى
Of a portion of a living serpent, missed by a stone cast at it.
A passive participial noun describing an unsuccessful cast.
- Lane · entry 39691
مِشْوًى
A frying-pan.
A utensil noun associated with roasting or frying.
- Lane · entry 39692
مُشْتَوًى
A place for roasting, broiling, or frying meat.
A locative noun for a cooking place.
- Lane · entry 39694
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic noun شَوًى in 70:16 has two explicitly attested interpretations: the outer skin or scalp, and the extremities or other non-vital parts; these are retained as separate senses.
The Form IV sense meaning “to omit” is reported tentatively and as an extended usage rather than as an unqualified primary meaning.