Quranic root
حوت
ḥ · w · t
A semantic orientation toward restless movement, circling, and evasive maneuvering.
The root lexicon connects the fish with continual motion and extends the image of its movement to circling around something and maneuvering or beguiling another person.
- Maqāyīs · row 1467
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 5
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
حُوتٌ
ḥūtun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 5 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.
A fish, including a large or great fish; in the Jonah narrative, the fish that swallowed him.
Occurs in singular حوت and plural حيتان. In صاحب الحوت, “the companion of the fish,” the phrase is an epithet for Jonah.
- Lane · entry 15990
- Mufradāt · row 368
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:163word 14
“their fish”
Quran 18:61word 6
“their fish”
Quran 37:142word 2
“the fish”
Quran 68:48word 7
“(of) the fish”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 7:163حِيتَانُهُمْtheir fish
- 18:61حُوتَهُمَاtheir fish
- 18:63ٱلْحُوتَthe fish
- 37:142ٱلْحُوتُthe fish
- 68:48ٱلْحُوتِ(of) the fish
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 8 Classical meanings
حَاتَ
To go or circle around a thing; of a bird, to circle around water, and of a wild animal, to circle around.
Used with عَلَى الشَّيْءِ or بِهِ.
- Lane · entry 15988
حَاوَتَ
To strive to turn or entice someone away from something; to maneuver or beguile him.
The object may be a person’s family, property, or another concern; the usage is figurative, likened to the movement of a fish in water.
- Lane · entry 15989
حَاوَتَ
To strive or contend with someone in order to repel him.
A derived Form III usage.
- Lane · entry 15989
حَاوَتَ
To consult someone or confer with him.
A derived Form III usage.
- Lane · entry 15989
حَاوَتَ
To negotiate with someone through consultation or promises in a sale.
A conventional commercial usage of the derived Form III verb.
- Lane · entry 15989
حُوتٌ
The constellation Pisces; by extension, the Southern Fish and the bright star Fomalhaut described as being in its mouth.
An astronomical usage marked as figurative or extended.
- Lane · entry 15990
حُوتِيٌّ
Fish-like, fish-related, or resembling a great fish.
It may be used figuratively of someone who swallows like a fish.
- Lane · entry 15991
حَيُّوتٌ
The male of a serpent.
The entry itself directs the fuller treatment of this word to حَيٌّ.
- Lane · entry 15992
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The lexical description includes “great fish,” while the supplied Quran contextual glosses uniformly say “fish”; the size qualification should not be imposed on every Quranic occurrence.