Quranic root
دمع
d · m · ʿ
The root centers on water or a tear, especially fluid issuing from the eye.
The basic image of eye-fluid extends to shedding tears, flowing or exuding moisture and other liquids, and several tear-related anatomical and figurative expressions.
- Maqāyīs · row 1826
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- 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.
دَمْعٌ
damʿun
- 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.
Tears; the fluid issuing from the eye.
In the Quran, the noun occurs in expressions describing tears flowing from the eyes; one occurrence explicitly connects the tears with grief.
- Lane · entry 1256
- Mufradāt · row 485
Selected Quran examples
Quran 5:83word 11
“the tears”
Quran 9:92word 18
“(with) the tears”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 2 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 22 Classical meanings
دَمَعَ
Of the eye: to shed tears or have tears flow.
The verb is attested with variant imperfect and verbal-noun patterns.
- Lane · entry 1251
دَمَعَ / دَامِعَةٌ
Of a wound: to ooze or flow blood, like tears.
Descriptions differ over whether the term denotes slight oozing in drops or a more substantial flow; the expression is applied especially to a head wound.
- Lane · entry 1251
- Lane · entry 1267
دَمَعَتِ الجَفْنَةُ / دُمُوعُ الجَفْنَةِ / قَدَحٌ دَمْعَانٌ / جَفْنَةٌ دَامِعَةٌ
To flow or overflow, or to be full to overflowing, of a bowl or vessel; the flowing contents may be grease or gravy.
The same flowing metaphor is also used for liquid issuing from a dyer's strainer and for a vessel whose contents overflow from its sides.
- Lane · entry 1251
- Lane · entry 1256
- Lane · entry 1260
- Lane · entry 1267
دَمْعٌ
The liquid flowing from a dyer's strainer.
- Lane · entry 1251
تَدْمَعُ الشَّمْسُ
In poetic usage, for the sun to 'weep': its fierce rays and fine airborne moisture stream forth.
This is a reported figurative interpretation of a poetic expression, not a Quranic citation.
- Lane · entry 1251
تَدْمِيعٌ
The vehement flowing of tears from the eye.
- Lane · entry 1252
أَدْمَعَ
To fill a bowl or vessel so as to make it overflow.
This is a causative Form IV usage applied to a container.
- Lane · entry 1253
تَدَمَّعَ
To shed tears or weep.
The attestation is explicitly reported as possibly post-classical.
- Lane · entry 1254
اِسْتَدْمَعَ
To draw forth tears.
The evidence presents this as an apparent or qualified Form X usage.
- Lane · entry 1255
دَمْعَةٌ
A single tear or drop of eye-fluid.
This is the unit form of دَمْعٌ, distinct from the collective or mass sense ‘tears.’
- Lane · entry 1256
دَمْعُ دَاوُودَ
A known medicinal substance called ‘David’s tears.’
The expression is a conventional name for a medicine, not ordinary eye-fluid.
- Lane · entry 1256
دَمْعُ السَّحَابِ / يَوْمٌ دَمَّاعٌ
Rain or moisture flowing from clouds; a day characterized by fine drizzle.
The cloud expression is figurative, modeled on tears flowing from the eye.
- Lane · entry 1256
- Lane · entry 1265
دَمْعُ الكَرْمِ
Wine, figuratively called ‘the tear of the vine.’
This is an idiomatic designation rather than a literal description of eye-fluid.
- Lane · entry 1256
دُمَاعُ الكَرْمِ
The fluid flowing from a grapevine in spring.
This refers to vine exudate or sap, distinct from the idiomatic use of دَمْعُ الكَرْمِ for wine.
- Lane · entry 1261
دَمِعٌ / دَمِيعٌ / دَمُوعٌ / دَمَّاعٌ / دَامِعٌ
Tearful; quick to shed tears or weep; of an eye, shedding many tears.
The descriptions apply to persons or eyes without imposing a general gender restriction; some forms are adjectives and one is the active participle of دَمَعَ.
- Lane · entry 1257
- Lane · entry 1263
- Lane · entry 1267
دُمُعٌ
A mark made with a hot iron on a camel in the area where tears run.
The mark is a specialized camel-branding term.
- Lane · entry 1258
دُمَاعٌ
Fluid from the eye associated with disease or old age, distinguished by one report from tears; alternatively, traces of tears left on the face.
The evidence preserves two reported interpretations of the same lexical item.
- Lane · entry 1261
دِمَاعٌ
A hot-iron mark made along the eye-edge vein toward the nostril or nostrils.
The mark may occur singly or in pairs; the precise anatomical location is reported with some variation.
- Lane · entry 1262
ثَرًى دَمُوعٌ
Earth or soil from which moisture exudes, or that appears ready to exude moisture.
This is a figurative extension from tears or flowing water to damp soil.
- Lane · entry 1263
مَدْمَعٌ / مَدَامِعُ
The channel or area where tears run or collect at the sides of the eye; in the plural, the inner and outer angles of the eyes.
The plural may also denote waters dripping from a mountain side or flowings of tears.
- Lane · entry 1268
مَدَامِعُ
Waters that drop or drip from the side of a mountain; also flowings of tears.
This is a figurative plural use related to channels or streams of flowing moisture.
- Lane · entry 1268
مَدْمُوعٌ
A camel bearing the hot-iron mark called دُمُعٌ.
The term denotes the marked animal, not the branding mark itself.
- Lane · entry 1269
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The terminology for a bleeding head wound varies in the cited authorities, especially concerning whether دَامِعَةٌ denotes slight oozing or more substantial bleeding.
The definition of دُمَاعٌ includes alternative reports distinguishing diseased-eye discharge from tears or identifying it as traces left on the face.
The Form V entry تَدَمَّعَ is explicitly qualified in the evidence as possibly post-classical.