Quranic root
فضو
f · ḍ · w
The lexical family centers on openness, spaciousness, and emergence into an open domain, with derived uses of reaching, contact, intimacy, and disclosure.
The evidence moves from becoming wide, open, or vacant to coming into another's space; Form IV extends this orientation to reaching, intimate approach, physical contact, communication, and related specialized uses.
- Mufradāt · row 1120
- Lane · entry 34443
- Lane · entry 34448
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- Quran senses
- 1
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَفْضَى
ʾafḍā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- 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 come to, reach, or become closely joined to another.
Constructed with إِلَى; in the Quranic reciprocal construction, it denotes one person coming to or reaching the other and becoming alone or closely joined.
- Lane · entry 34444
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:21word 4
“has gone”
To approach sexually; to have sexual intercourse.
An intimate euphemistic use of أَفْضَى إِلَى, including the reciprocal construction in which one person comes into intimate union with another.
- Lane · entry 34444
- Mufradāt · row 1120
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:21word 4
“has gone”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 4:21أَفْضَىٰhas gone
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 20 Classical meanings
فَضَا
To become wide or spacious; also to become empty, vacant, or void.
A Form I verb of becoming open or unoccupied.
- Lane · entry 34443
فَضَا
Of trees, to become numerous or abundant in a place, occupying it.
A specialized use describing vegetation spreading through a place.
- Lane · entry 34443
فَضَا
To leave money strewn rather than put away in a purse.
Attested in the construction فَضَا دَرَاهِمَهُ.
- Lane · entry 34443
أَفْضَى
To go forth or come to an open space.
A Form IV directional use with فَضَاءٌ as the destination.
- Lane · entry 34444
أَفْضَى
To bring or lead someone to a wide or spacious place; of a road, to lead to a rugged tract of land.
Attested with بِـ in constructions of bringing or leading to a place.
- Lane · entry 34444
أَفْضَى
To touch or place the hand against something without an intervening barrier.
One attested application is touching the ground with the palm during prostration.
- Lane · entry 34444
أَفْضَى
To communicate or disclose a secret to someone.
Attested with بِـ in the construction of acquainting another person with a secret.
- Lane · entry 34444
أَفْضَى
To become poor.
A figurative or assumed-tropical use, explained as coming down to the ground.
- Lane · entry 34444
أَفْضَى
To make the mouth wide and empty.
Attested in a traditional prayer phrase concerning the mouth.
- Lane · entry 34444
أَفْضَى
Of the central incisors, to fall out; or to cause them to be lost.
A reported specialized usage concerning the upper and lower central incisors.
- Lane · entry 34444
أَفْضَى
To make a woman's vaginal and rectal passages one by rupture.
A specialized anatomical use associated with defloration or sexual intercourse.
- Lane · entry 34444
مُفْضَاةٌ
A woman whose vaginal and rectal passages have been made one by rupture.
A specialized anatomical epithet corresponding to the preceding verbal use.
- Lane · entry 34444
فَضًا
Mixed together, scattered, or left in a disorderly state; of goods, held in common.
Used of food, dates, goods, affairs, or belongings that are mixed, promiscuous, or unmanaged.
- Lane · entry 34446
فَضًا
One or single; alone or apart from others.
The word has opposed applications in the evidence, including singularity and being left without one's fellows or family.
- Lane · entry 34446
فَضًا
The stones or seeds of raisins.
A rare lexical application, also associated in the evidence with a variant spelling.
- Lane · entry 34446
فَضْيَةٌ
Water that collects and stagnates.
Its reported plural is فِضَاءٌ.
- Lane · entry 34447
فَضَاءٌ
Width or spaciousness; an open court, yard, or wide expanse of land.
Used as a verbal noun for spaciousness and substantively for an open area or plain.
- Lane · entry 34448
فِضَاءٌ
Water running upon the surface of the ground.
A variant or plural form associated with فَضْيَةٌ.
- Lane · entry 34449
فَاضٍ
Wide, open, plain, or vacant; in common later usage, unoccupied, unemployed, or at leisure.
An active participle used adjectivally, with a later everyday sense of having no occupation or engagement.
- Lane · entry 34451
مَفْضًى
A place of spaciousness or a wide open place.
A noun denoting a spacious location.
- Lane · entry 34452
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Form IV construction أَفْضَى إِلَى in 4:21 has overlapping traditional interpretations, from coming to or reaching another to intimate privacy and sexual intercourse; these related but materially distinct uses are kept separate.
The Quran example uses only the QAC-supplied location 4:21:4; no additional modern location is inferred from historical citation notation.