Quranic root
عزل
ʿ · z · l
The root denotes moving something aside, separating it, or causing it to be apart from another.
Its central orientation develops from physical removal or separation into personal withdrawal, exclusion, and states or descriptions of being apart. Several specialized nominal and adjectival branches preserve the idea of being separate or lacking an associated feature, while some usages are lexically divergent.
- Maqāyīs · row 3197
- Mufradāt · row 972
- 4
- Quran-attested forms
- 5
- Quran senses
- 10
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
عَزَلَ
ʿazala
- 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 put or set apart; to remove or separate one thing from another.
The Quranic occurrence uses the verb for setting someone or something aside; the construction may express separation from another object or party.
- Lane · entry 3094
Selected Quran examples
Quran 33:51word 12
“you (had) set aside”
اِعْتَزَلَ
āiʿtazala
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VIII
- Form
- VIII
- Quran occurrences
- 7 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.
To withdraw, go apart, or keep away from persons or things; to leave or forsake them.
The verb may be used transitively or intransitively, with bodily or inward withdrawal, and in requests to dissociate oneself from a person, group, practice, or affair.
- Lane · entry 3099
- Mufradāt · row 972
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:90word 25
“they withdraw from you”
Quran 19:48word 1
“And I will leave you”
Quran 44:21word 5
“then leave me alone”
To keep away from women in a sexual context; to refrain from sexual intercourse.
This is the Quranic construction فَاعْتَزِلُوا النِّسَاءَ, used in the context of menstruation; it should not be generalized to every occurrence of the verb.
- Lane · entry 3099
- Lane · entry 3094
- Mufradāt · row 972
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:222word 7
“so keep away (from)”
مَعْزِلٌ
maʿzilun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
A place or state of removal, separation, or aloofness.
Often used with بِـ and عن to express being apart from a person, thing, affair, or group; the Quranic occurrence describes being aloof from the ark or its religious allegiance.
- Lane · entry 3113
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:42word 12
“apart”
مَعْزُولٌ
maʿzūlun
- Part of speech
- Passive participle
- 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.
Set apart, excluded, debarred, or prevented from access.
In the Quranic expression, the excluded ones are debarred from hearing the speech of the angels; the supplied Quran form is the masculine plural مَعْزُولُونَ.
- Lane · entry 3115
Selected Quran examples
Quran 26:212word 4
“(are) surely banished”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:222فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟so keep away (from)
- 4:90ٱعْتَزَلُوكُمْthey withdraw from you
- 4:91يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْthey withdraw from you
- 11:42مَعْزِلٍۢapart
- 18:16ٱعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْyou withdraw from them
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 27 Classical meanings
عَزَلَ
To remove, depose, or displace an agent, deputy, or officeholder from authority or employment.
Used with عن and an office, administration, agency, or government.
- Lane · entry 3094
عَزَلَ
To practice coitus interruptus by withdrawing before emission and emitting semen outside the vagina.
A sexual construction, especially عَزَلَ عَنْهَا; this is distinct from ordinary physical removal or separation.
- Lane · entry 3094
- Lane · entry 3099
عَزِلَ
Of a horse, to have its tail habitually inclining to one side.
The inclination is habitual rather than an innate physical condition; an inclination to the right was considered unlucky by the Arabs.
- Lane · entry 3094
- Lane · entry 3102
عَزْلٌ
Goods brought to the state treasury in advance of the due date of an instalment.
The goods are described as not yet weighed or sorted to remove the inferior portion.
- Lane · entry 3100
تَعَازَلَ
To go apart, withdraw, or separate from one another.
A reciprocal construction describing each person or party separating from the other.
- Lane · entry 3097
عَزَلٌ
The state of having no weapon available.
It may specifically mean having no spear, or more generally having no weapon with which to fight.
- Lane · entry 3102
عَزَلٌ
A deficiency in one of the two hip-bone crests.
An anatomical usage referring to a defect or missing portion of one حَرْقَفَة.
- Lane · entry 3102
عَزَلٌ
The hinder part of an ass.
Preserved in the idiom اِقْرَعْ عَزَلَ حِمَارِكَ, addressed to the driver of an ass.
- Lane · entry 3102
عُزْلَةٌ
Withdrawal, retirement, or self-seclusion.
The noun can describe separation from association or communion and may be used of religious retirement or self-seclusion.
- Lane · entry 3104
العَزَلَةُ
The crest of a hip-bone.
An anatomical noun distinct from the related usage describing a deficiency in one of the crests.
- Lane · entry 3105
عَزْلَاءُ
The lower mouth, spout, or outlet of a leather water-bag.
The term denotes the outlet near one of the lower corners of a مَزَادَة or similar water-bag; its plural includes عَزَالِي and عَزَالَى.
- Lane · entry 3106
عَزَالِي
The pouring outlets of a cloud, used figuratively for a cloud's or the sky's discharge of heavy rain.
In expressions such as أَرْخَتْ عَزَالِيَهَا, the rain is likened to water pouring from the spouts of a water-bag.
- Lane · entry 3106
العَزْلَاءُ
The anus.
A figurative anatomical extension of the term for an outlet or spout.
- Lane · entry 3106
عِزَالٌ
Weakness.
A noun synonymous with ضَعْف.
- Lane · entry 3108
عِزَالٌ
The goods, furniture, and utensils of a house or tent.
Recorded as a vulgar usage.
- Lane · entry 3108
العَزَالَانِ
The two feathers at the extremity of an eagle's tail.
A dual expression whose plural is أَعْزِلَةٌ.
- Lane · entry 3109
أَعْزَلُ
Separate or cut off from other sand.
An adjectival description of a sandy area or tract distinguished from surrounding sand.
- Lane · entry 3112
أَعْزَلُ
Unarmed, or lacking a spear or other weapon; by extension, lacking an associated weapon-like companion.
Used of a person without weapons and of the star al-Simāk al-Aʿzal, distinguished from al-Simāk al-Rāmiḥ by the absence of the star regarded as its spear.
- Lane · entry 3112
أَعْزَلُ
A bird that cannot fly.
An adjectival usage describing inability to fly.
- Lane · entry 3112
أَعْزَلُ
A cloud in which there is no rain.
An adjectival description of a rainless cloud.
- Lane · entry 3112
أَعْزَلُ
Of a horse, having its tail habitually inclining to one side.
The inclination is habitual rather than natural; the expression may occur in a proverbial description of an unarmed man on such a horse.
- Lane · entry 3112
أَعْزَلُ
Deficient in one of the two hip-bone crests.
An adjectival anatomical usage applied to an ass or similar animal.
- Lane · entry 3112
أَعْزَلُ
The share of meat belonging to a man who is absent.
A specialized nominal or adjectival usage; its plural is عُزْلٌ.
- Lane · entry 3112
اِعْتَزَلَ
To keep aloof from warfare or battle.
Used of one who stays out of fighting, especially because he has no weapon.
- Lane · entry 3099
مِعْزَالٌ
One who keeps apart from others: especially a herdsman who pastures his animals in a remote place, a traveller who camps alone, one who separates from gambling companions, or one isolated in opinion.
The herdsman's remoteness is not necessarily blameworthy and may be associated with courage; camping apart or separating from gambling companions can carry disapproval.
- Lane · entry 3114
مِعْزَالٌ
Weak and stupid.
A distinct adjectival usage recorded for the same form.
- Lane · entry 3114
المُعْتَزِلَةُ
The Muʿtazilah, a theological sect whose name is associated with secession or withdrawal.
A historical sectarian name, explained in relation to withdrawal from opposing theological parties or from al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī's circle.
- Lane · entry 3116