Quranic root
صنع
ṣ · n · ʿ
The root centers on making or bringing something into a formed state, especially through effective or skilled workmanship.
From making with skill, the lexical field extends to craft, careful tending and cultivation, constructed works, and specialized derived uses such as reciprocal inducement and bribery. Some nominal branches designate manufactured objects, occupations, or built installations.
- Maqāyīs · row 2846
- Mufradāt · row 851
- 5
- Quran-attested forms
- 7
- Quran senses
- 20
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
صَنَعَ
ṣanaʿa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 15 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 make, fashion, construct, or perform something through deliberate and effective workmanship.
Used both for producing or constructing things and for carrying out deeds or acts; the passive construction in 20:39 has a specialized sense of being reared or cultivated, listed separately.
- Lane · entry 26666
- Mufradāt · row 851
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:37word 1
“And construct”
Quran 20:69word 7
“they have made”
To rear, nourish, educate, or cultivate someone with sustained care and attention.
Especially supported in the construction وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَى عَيْنِي, where the passive verb expresses being brought up under close supervision; the evidence does not restrict the construction to a particular gender or age.
- Lane · entry 26666
- Mufradāt · row 851
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:39word 20
“and that you may be brought up”
اِصْطَنَعَ
āiṣṭanaʿa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VIII
- Form
- VIII
- 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 specially choose or select someone for a designated purpose or office.
In وَاصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِي, the choice is presented as a special divine selection for a required mission.
- Lane · entry 26671
- Mufradāt · row 851
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:41word 1
“And I (have) chosen you”
To cultivate, rear, or prepare someone with exceptional care for a designated purpose.
The same Quranic construction is also interpreted as special rearing and preparation; this is more than ordinary making or selection.
- Lane · entry 26671
- Mufradāt · row 851
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:41word 1
“And I (have) chosen you”
صَنْعَةٌ
ṣanʿahun
- 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.
Craft, handiwork, workmanship, or the making of a manufactured object.
The Quran occurrence refers to the making or workmanship of protective armor; the lexical meaning is the craft or manufacture, not armor as a general semantic restriction.
- Lane · entry 26678
- Mufradāt · row 851
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:80word 2
“(the) making”
صُنْعٌ
ṣunʿun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 2 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.
Skilled making, workmanship, or a work produced through effective and well-executed action.
The Quran uses the noun for works or efforts and for God's perfectly executed making; it denotes a skilled act or its result rather than every undifferentiated فعل.
- Lane · entry 26666
- Mufradāt · row 851
Selected Quran examples
Quran 18:104word 11
“(in) work”
Quran 27:88word 9
“(The) Work”
مَصْنَعَةٌ
maṣnaʿahun
- 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 substantial constructed establishment or built structure, especially a stronghold or imposing work.
The Quran occurrence is plural مَصَانِعَ and is associated with notable constructed places; broader Classical uses of the plural include reservoirs, wells, towns, and other installations, which are recorded separately.
- Lane · entry 26694
- Mufradāt · row 851
Selected Quran examples
Quran 26:129word 2
“strongholds”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 5:14يَصْنَعُونَdo
- 5:63يَصْنَعُونَdo
- 7:137يَصْنَعُmake
- 11:16صَنَعُوا۟they did
- 11:37وَٱصْنَعِAnd construct
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 44 Classical meanings
صَنَعَ
To fabricate or forge speech, a saying, sentence, or poetry.
A figurative extension of making, used with speech or poetic composition.
- Lane · entry 26666
صَنَعَ
To work at, practise, or exercise an art, craft, or manufacture.
The object of the working may be left understood.
- Lane · entry 26666
صَنَعَ
To do someone a favor or benefit, or to do someone an evil or foul deed.
Occurs in constructions with إِلَى or بِهِ; the meaning is a deed performed toward another person.
- Lane · entry 26666
صَنَعَ
To tend a horse well, supplying and fattening it; also to rear or educate a person well.
A specialized care-and-nurture use, distinct from ordinary construction.
- Lane · entry 26666
صَنِعَ
To be or become skilled in an activity.
Reported by one authority, while another authority states that this verb has not been heard.
- Lane · entry 26666
مُصَانَعَةٌ
Doing something for someone in expectation that the recipient will do something in return.
The basic Form III reciprocal or transactional construction.
- Lane · entry 26668
مُصَانَعَةٌ
Treating someone with gentleness, blandishment, coaxing, or conciliatory behavior; sometimes acting hypocritically or trying to turn someone aside by guile.
A figurative interpersonal use of the reciprocal arrangement sense.
- Lane · entry 26668
مُصَانَعَةٌ
Bribery or the act of bribing someone with property or money.
A conventional figurative use, especially with a ruler, prefect, judge, or other official.
- Lane · entry 26668
مُصَانَعَةٌ
A horse's withholding or reserving part of its strength while moving.
A specialized equestrian use describing incomplete exertion.
- Lane · entry 26668
أَصْنَعَ
To aid or assist another person.
The evidence also reports an erroneous interpretation of the expression as meaning that an unskilful person learned or became skilled; the supported lexical explanation is assistance.
- Lane · entry 26669
تَصَنُّعٌ
Affecting a good or respectable manner of conduct and making a show of it, especially when the underlying claim to respect is unsound; also artificial self-adornment.
The form may describe conduct generally or personal embellishment; an illustrative feminine usage does not restrict the meaning by gender.
- Lane · entry 26670
اِصْطَنَعَ
To have an object made by commissioning or ordering its manufacture.
Attested with a signet ring as the object commissioned.
- Lane · entry 26671
اِصْطَنَعَ
To offer or present something, especially sustenance.
A reported specialized use with an understood object in the cited expression.
- Lane · entry 26671
اِصْطَنَعَ
To prepare a repast, feast, or banquet for invited people, including food prepared for charitable distribution.
A figurative extension of preparing something carefully; the charitable use is reported from tradition.
- Lane · entry 26671
اِسْتَصْنَعَ
To ask or cause another person to make something for oneself.
The Form X construction expresses requesting or inducing manufacture.
- Lane · entry 26672
صَنْعٌ
A small creeping creature or insect, or a flying creature.
A separate, rare lexical branch reported in the lexicographical tradition.
- Lane · entry 26673
صُنْعٌ
Sustenance or provision.
A specialized nominal meaning distinct from the ordinary infinitive of صَنَعَ.
- Lane · entry 26674
صِنْعٌ
A tailor or a delicate-handed, skilful worker.
A person-word describing manual dexterity, not the general noun for making.
- Lane · entry 26675
صِنْعٌ
A wooden board, barrier, or assembled set of planks used to confine and retain water; also a rainwater trough or tank.
The plural may designate wooden water barriers or unlined rainwater reservoirs.
- Lane · entry 26675
صِنْعٌ
A manufactured or made object of any kind.
A concrete product or article is intended, such as a prepared container or similar manufactured item.
- Lane · entry 26675
صِنْعٌ
A garment.
A figurative or specialized nominal use.
- Lane · entry 26675
صِنْعٌ
A turban.
A specialized garment term.
- Lane · entry 26675
صِنْعٌ
The iron spit or roasting instrument used for flesh-meat.
A specialized culinary implement meaning.
- Lane · entry 26675
صِنْعٌ
Roasted flesh-meat.
A rare nominal use, synonymous with the cited term for roasted meat.
- Lane · entry 26675
صَنَعٌ
Skilled in work of the hands; a person adept at manual making.
Applied to men or women; the source also records inflected and plural expressions.
- Lane · entry 26676
- Lane · entry 26683
- Lane · entry 26690
صَنَعٌ
Skilled in the use of the tongue, especially eloquent; of a woman, sharp- or long-tongued.
A figurative extension from manual skill to verbal skill.
- Lane · entry 26676
صَنْعَةٌ
A habitual work, craft, trade, or occupation, especially handwork.
The meaning may denote either the worker's craft or the work habitually practised.
- Lane · entry 26678
صُنْعَةٌ
Arrows that are uniform or evenly made, as the work of one maker.
A specialized phrase; the lexical analysis of the form as a quasi-plural is reported tentatively.
- Lane · entry 26679
صُنُوعٌ
The seams, stitch-holes, or sewing thongs of a leather water-skin; alternatively, its making.
The source reports several interpretations and no secure singular for the plural form.
- Lane · entry 26682
صَنِيعٌ
Made, wrought, manufactured, fabricated, or constructed; made skilfully or well.
An adjectival or nominal passive-result sense, distinct from the Form I verb.
- Lane · entry 26683
صَنِيعٌ
Prepared food or a repast, feast, or banquet to which people are invited.
Also used for food prepared for distribution in the cause of God.
- Lane · entry 26683
صَنِيعٌ
Applied to a sword or arrow: polished, tested by experience, and repeatedly renewed by polishing.
A specialized description of weapons.
- Lane · entry 26683
صَنِيعٌ
Well tended, especially of a horse supplied with fodder and fattened; of a person, reared, educated, disciplined, or trained well.
The human and equine uses are reported as extensions of careful making or tending.
- Lane · entry 26683
صَنِيعٌ
A goodly and clean garment.
A specialized nominal or adjectival use.
- Lane · entry 26683
صَنِيعٌ
A deed or action; especially a good deed, benefit, favor, or kind act.
The same lexical family can also describe an evil or foul deed; the good-deed sense is conventional in صَنِيعَةٌ.
- Lane · entry 26683
صَنَاعِيَةٌ
People who tend their camels well, fatten their young animals, and withhold the camels' milk from guests.
A specialized collective designation attested in poetry.
- Lane · entry 26686
صَنَّاعٌ
An expert maker or manufacturer.
Also recorded as a proper name or surname.
- Lane · entry 26688
صَانِعٌ
A handicraftsman, artisan, manufacturer, or worker who makes things by hand; one who practises a craft.
May specifically mean a worker for hire under a master; its plural is صُنَّاعٌ.
- Lane · entry 26690
أَصْنَعُ
More or most skilled in working with the hands, manufacturing, fabricating, or constructing.
A comparative or superlative adjective.
- Lane · entry 26692
مَصْنَعٌ
A place, time, or way of making or doing; by extension, a place exhibiting good or skilful workmanship.
The form can function as an infinitive or as a noun of place or time; the cited poetic use concerns finding the proper way or site of an act.
- Lane · entry 26693
مَصْنَعَةٌ
A constructed reservoir, cistern, basin, or rainwater tank, including a well-like installation made for collecting water.
The plural مَصَانِعُ may denote such rainwater excavations or waterworks.
- Lane · entry 26694
مَصَانِعُ
Towns or villages, especially with their cultivated land.
A collective plural use reported for the plural form.
- Lane · entry 26694
مَصَانِعُ
Places set apart for horses away from tents or houses.
A specialized plural use; the singular is مَصْنَعَةٌ.
- Lane · entry 26694
مَصْنُوعٌ
Fabricated or coined speech, a phrase or word innovated and presented as eloquent Arabic; forged wording or poetry.
A figurative passive-participle use, distinct from an actually manufactured object.
- Lane · entry 26695
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Form VIII Quranic expression وَاصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِي supports both special selection and exceptional rearing or preparation; the artifact preserves both readings as distinct but closely related senses.
مَصَانِعُ in 26:129 is a context-sensitive plural: the Quranic evidence supports substantial constructed places or strongholds, while broader Classical Arabic evidence also records reservoirs, wells, towns, and horse compounds.
The report that صَنِعَ means 'to become skilled' is attributed to one authority and rejected by another; it is retained as a qualified Classical meaning rather than treated as a Quranic sense.