Quranic root
طير
ṭ · y · r
The root centers on light movement through the air, especially flying, and extends metaphorically to rapid movement, scattering, spreading, and fortune or omen.
From physical lightness in the air, the root develops meanings of hastening, dispersal and wide propagation; bird-based augury gives rise to meanings of omen, fortune, and a person's attached outcome or deeds.
- Maqāyīs · row 3091
- Mufradāt · row 924
- 5
- Quran-attested forms
- 8
- Quran senses
- 29
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
طَارَ
ṭāra
- 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 fly; to move through the air.
Used of a winged creature or other thing moving through the air; the Quranic occurrence describes a creature that flies.
- Lane · entry 12113
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:38word 8
“(that) flies”
تَطَيَّرَ
taṭayyara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form V
- Form
- V
- Quran occurrences
- 3 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 regard something as an evil omen; to augur evil from it.
Originally associated with taking omens from birds, and in Quranic usage extended to treating a person or event as the cause of misfortune.
- Lane · entry 12117
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:131word 10
“they ascribe evil omens”
Quran 27:47word 2
“We consider you a bad omen”
Quran 36:18word 3
“[we] see an evil omen”
طَائِرٌ
ṭāʾirun
- Part of speech
- Active participle · substantivized
- 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 flying creature; a bird.
The active participle is substantivized and may refer to a bird or, more broadly, a flying creature; Quranic usage includes collective reference.
- Lane · entry 12127
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:38word 7
“a bird”
An omen or portent, especially an evil omen.
In Quranic constructions, the word can denote the omen or misfortune attributed by people to a person or event; the explanation may reject that attribution and refer the outcome to God.
- Lane · entry 12127
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:131word 16
“their evil omens”
Quran 27:47word 7
“Your bad omen”
Quran 36:19word 2
“Your evil omen”
A person's fortune, allotted outcome, or what comes to him, whether happiness or misery.
This sense can denote the outcome decreed or assigned for a person, including livelihood, good fortune, or ill fortune.
- Lane · entry 12127
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:13word 4
“his fate”
A person's deeds and the consequences attached to him.
In the Quranic image of something fastened to the neck, the word is interpreted as the person's recorded actions, whose good or bad consequences remain attached to him.
- Lane · entry 12127
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:13word 4
“his fate”
طَيْرٌ
ṭayrun
- Part of speech
- Noun · collective/plural
- Quran occurrences
- 19 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.
Birds; flying creatures collectively.
A collective or plural noun referring to birds or fowls, including birds gathered, flying, or used as food.
- Lane · entry 12127
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 16:79word 4
“the birds”
Quran 21:79word 12
“and the birds”
Quran 24:41word 11
“and the birds”
Quran 56:21word 2
“(of) fowls”
Quran 105:3word 3
“birds”
مُسْتَطِيرٌ
mustaṭīrun
- Part of speech
- Active participle · substantivized
- 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.
Spreading widely; widespread or pervasive.
An active participle describing something whose extent or effect spreads throughout; in the Quran it describes evil as widespread.
- Lane · entry 12134
- Mufradāt · row 924
Selected Quran examples
Quran 76:7word 7
“widespread”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:260ٱلطَّيْرِthe birds
- 3:49ٱلطَّيْرِ(of) the bird
- 3:49طَيْرًۢاa bird
- 5:110ٱلطَّيْرِ(of) the bird
- 5:110طَيْرًۢاa bird
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
طَارَ
To hasten, outstrip, flee, or go away quickly.
A figurative extension from flying, used of people, animals, or movement toward or away from something.
- Lane · entry 12113
طَارَ
For one's reason or courage to depart suddenly.
A figurative expression for losing composure or courage.
- Lane · entry 12113
طَارَ
For the heart to incline toward and become attached to what it loves.
A figurative construction describing emotional attachment or love.
- Lane · entry 12113
طَارَ
For the eye to throb or twitch.
An anatomical usage reported as a figurative extension.
- Lane · entry 12113
طَارَ
To become famous or widely known.
Used in the construction طار له صيتٌ, literally portraying fame as having flown to him.
- Lane · entry 12113
طَارَ
To come to someone as his share or portion.
Used of a portion, lot, or allotment that comes to a person.
- Lane · entry 12113
طَارَ
For she-camels to conceive.
A specialized expression used with camels, sometimes implying conception by the stallion or rapid conception.
- Lane · entry 12113
طَيَّرَ
To make someone or something fly; to cause it to fly away or disperse.
The causative may be literal, as when birds are scared away, or figurative when something is driven away.
- Lane · entry 12114
طَيَّرَ
To frighten or dismay, causing one's courage to depart.
A figurative causative usage, especially of the heart or courage.
- Lane · entry 12114
طَيَّرَ
To divide property among people into lots or shares.
A specialized transitive construction concerning the distribution of property.
- Lane · entry 12114
طَيَّرَ
For a stallion to make the she-camels conceive, or to make them conceive quickly.
A specialized causative usage with a stallion as subject and she-camels as object.
- Lane · entry 12114
أَطْيَرَ
For land to become abundant in birds.
Used of a region or land containing many birds.
- Lane · entry 12116
تَطَايَرَ
To scatter, disperse, fly apart, or break into fragments.
An intransitive development of flying, used when things separate or disperse.
- Lane · entry 12118
تَطَايَرَ
To become long or tall and disheveled.
Used particularly of hair and, by extension, a camel's hump.
- Lane · entry 12118
تَطَايَرَ
For clouds or other matter to spread throughout an area.
Used of clouds spreading across the sky and of comparable dispersal.
- Lane · entry 12118
اِنْطَارَ
To become split, slit, or cracked.
A specialized intransitive usage describing an opening or fracture.
- Lane · entry 12119
اِسْتَطَارَ
To cause a thing to fly.
A Form X causative usage, closely related to making something fly away.
- Lane · entry 12120
اِسْتَطَارَ
To draw a sword quickly from its scabbard.
A specialized figurative usage based on rapid movement.
- Lane · entry 12120
مُسْتَطَارٌ
Made to fly, driven away, or carried away swiftly.
Applied literally to dust and figuratively to a person or the heart when overwhelmed or carried away by fear.
- Lane · entry 12120
- Lane · entry 12133
مُسْتَطَارٌ
Swift-running or hastening.
Used especially as an epithet for a horse; the shortened form مُسْطَارٌ is also reported for this word and is applied to wine.
- Lane · entry 12120
- Lane · entry 12133
مُسْتَطَارٌ
Frightened or flurried.
A passive-form development portraying a person as made to fly by fear.
- Lane · entry 12120
اِسْتَطَارَ
To spread or extend throughout.
Used of dawn and its light, lightning, dust, evil, and similar things; it can also describe a crack becoming apparent and extending through a wall, vessel, or garment.
- Lane · entry 12120
اِسْتَطَارَ
For a female dog to desire the male.
A specialized animal-related usage.
- Lane · entry 12120
طَيْرٌ
A call used to summon a sheep or goat.
A fixed calling expression, طَيْرُ طَيْرُ or طَيْرِ طَيْرِ.
- Lane · entry 12121
طَيْرَةٌ
Levity or inconstancy.
A figurative nominal usage describing a person's flightiness or lack of steadiness.
- Lane · entry 12122
طَيْرَةٌ
A slip or stumble.
Used figuratively, including in the expression warning against the slips of youth.
- Lane · entry 12122
طَيَّارٌ
A sharp, spirited, vigorous, swift-running horse.
The epithet portrays the horse as nearly made to fly by the force of its running.
- Lane · entry 12125
طَيَّارٌ
A company or group of men.
A separate nominal usage reported without a further construction.
- Lane · entry 12125
طَيَّارٌ
A technical balance or assay-balance.
Explicitly identified in the source as post-Classical and not part of ordinary Arab linguistic usage; it may refer to a gold assay-balance, a hydrostatic balance, or its tongue.
- Lane · entry 12125
طَيُّورٌ
Sharp and quick to return to a good state or recover from anger.
A figurative description of a person who rapidly regains composure.
- Lane · entry 12126
طَائِرٌ
The constellation Cygnus.
A specialized astronomical designation, also called the hen or الدجاجة.
- Lane · entry 12127
طَائِرٌ
Grave, sedate, or motionless.
Used in expressions based on a bird remaining perched on a motionless person.
- Lane · entry 12127
طَائِرٌ
Light, flighty, or inconstant.
A figurative usage describing lack of steadiness or seriousness.
- Lane · entry 12127
طَائِرٌ
For anger to arise or for a person to become angry.
A figurative expression comparable to the arising of an agitated force.
- Lane · entry 12127
طَائِرٌ
To hasten and be light, active, or agile.
A figurative verbal expression derived from the movement of a bird.
- Lane · entry 12127
طَائِرٌ
Unsettled in its result or final outcome.
Used in the idiom describing a dream whose outcome remains unsettled until it is interpreted.
- Lane · entry 12127
طَائِرٌ
The brain.
A specialized anatomical meaning.
- Lane · entry 12127
مَطَارٌ
A place to or from which a bird or other thing flies; a place of flying.
A nominal place designation, also used figuratively in expressions of inclination or attachment.
- Lane · entry 12129
مَطَارَةٌ
Land abounding in birds.
A specialized description of a bird-rich region.
- Lane · entry 12129
مَطَارٌ
Wide-mouthed or wide-opening, said of a pit, cavity, or well.
Used as an epithet for an excavation or well broad at its mouth.
- Lane · entry 12129
مُطَارٌ
A state of abundance whose resources are not exhausted.
In the proverb in which a crow is not made to fly away, the expression indicates plentiful produce or undiminished glory.
- Lane · entry 12130
مُطَيَّرٌ
A patterned garment bearing bird figures.
A specialized textile designation.
- Lane · entry 12132
مُطَيَّرٌ
Aloes-wood or a preparation of it.
The sources report several explanations, including a prepared, mixed, split, or broken form; the derivation is disputed.
- Lane · entry 12132
مُسْتَطِيرٌ
Excited by lust, said of a dog or camel.
A specialized animal epithet; for a camel, another epithet is also reported.
- Lane · entry 12134
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
طَائِرٌ is an active participle used substantivally in the Quran and has distinct senses for a flying creature, omen or fortune, and a person's deeds or attached consequences; these should not be collapsed into the ordinary bird sense.