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Quranic root

طمث

ṭ · m · th

The root centers on touching or making contact with something.

Its lexical branches extend from general contact to sexual contact and defloration; related usages denote menstruation, associated blood, and forms of pollution or corruption.

  • Maqāyīs · row 3057
  • Mufradāt · row 911
1
Quran-attested forms
2
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.

طَمَثَ

ṭamatha

Part of speech
Verb · Form I
Form
I
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.

  1. To deflower her, with the bleeding associated with devirginization.

    In the Quranic construction of sexual contact, this is the interpretation that specifically understands the verb as defloration rather than intercourse in a general sense.

    • Lane · entry 11704
    • Mufradāt · row 911
    Selected Quran examples

    Quran 55:56word 5

    “has touched them”

    Quran 55:74word 2

    “has touched them”

  2. To have sexual intercourse with her; to sexually touch her.

    A broader interpretation of the Quranic construction, treating the verb as a general expression for sexual intercourse rather than specifically for first intercourse or bleeding.

    • Lane · entry 11704
    Selected Quran examples

    Quran 55:56word 5

    “has touched them”

    Quran 55:74word 2

    “has touched them”

Occurrences in the Quran

Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.

  • 55:56يَطْمِثْهُنَّhas touched them
  • 55:74يَطْمِثْهُنَّhas touched them
View all 2 occurrences

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

  • طَمَثَ

    Of a woman, to menstruate.

    Some reported usage specifies a girl's or young woman's first menstruation.

    • Lane · entry 11704

  • طَمَثَ

    To touch or come into contact with a thing.

    Used of ordinary contact with places, animals, or other things; examples describe a pasture or camel that no one or nothing has previously touched.

    • Lane · entry 11704

  • طَمَثَ

    To bind a camel's fore shank to its arm.

    A specialized expression used of securing a camel's leg.

    • Lane · entry 11704

  • طَمْثٌ

    Blood, especially blood associated with defloration or menstruation.

    The attested explanations include blood shed upon devirginization and menstrual blood.

    • Lane · entry 11705

  • طَمْثٌ

    Dirt, filth, or pollution.

    • Lane · entry 11705

  • طَمْثٌ

    A thing that induces suspicion or an evil opinion.

    Used of a defect or circumstance that gives cause for mistrust or discredit.

    • Lane · entry 11705

  • طَمْثٌ

    Corruption.

    • Lane · entry 11705

  • طَامِثٌ

    A menstruating woman.

    Some reported usage applies it specifically to a girl or young woman, or to one menstruating for the first time.

    • Lane · entry 11707

Cautions

Points that affect how this root should be read.

  • The two Quran occurrences use the same construction, while the lexical evidence records a genuine interpretive range between specific defloration with bleeding and sexual intercourse in a general sense.

  • The normalized public headword is the perfect citation form طَمَثَ; the supplied QAC form is its imperfective Quranic realization يَطْمِثْ.