Quranic root
غلظ
gh · l · ẓ
The root centers on thickness, density, or coarseness, with figurative extensions to hardness, roughness, severity, and strength.
The physical idea of thickness is extended to abstract qualities: roughness in conduct, severity in punishment, strength of a covenant, and forcefulness in confrontation.
- Mufradāt · row 1063
- 4
- Quran-attested forms
- 6
- Quran senses
- 13
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
غَلُظَ
ghaluẓa
- 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.
To be rough, harsh, or stern toward others; to use roughness in dealing with them.
Quranically used in the imperative construction وَٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ, directing forceful or stern conduct toward opponents.
- Lane · entry 29725
- Mufradāt · row 1063
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:73word 6
“and be stern”
Quran 66:9word 6
“and be stern”
اِسْتَغْلَظَ
āistaghlaẓa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form X
- Form
- X
- 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 become thick, dense, and well-grown.
In the Quranic plant image, the seed-produce becomes thick and robust; the form can also convey becoming prepared for that condition.
- Lane · entry 29725
- Mufradāt · row 1063
Selected Quran examples
Quran 48:29word 36
“then it becomes thick”
غَلِيظٌ
ghalīẓun
- Part of speech
- Adjective
- Quran occurrences
- 9 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.
Harsh or rough in disposition; stern or hard-hearted.
Applied to a person or to character and conduct; the Quranic contexts include sternness in disposition and the description of stern beings.
- Lane · entry 29737
- Mufradāt · row 1063
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:159word 10
“(and) harsh”
Quran 66:6word 13
“stern”
Severe, vehement, or intensely painful.
Used in Quranic descriptions of punishment and torment.
- Lane · entry 29737
- Mufradāt · row 1063
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:58word 14
“severe”
Strong, confirmed, or ratified.
Used of a compact or covenant, especially one treated as firmly binding.
- Lane · entry 29737
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:21word 11
“strong”
غِلْظَةٌ
ghilẓahun
- 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.
Hardness, strength, or vehemence shown in enmity and fighting; forceful resistance.
In the Quranic command, it concerns confronting hostile opponents with firmness, endurance, and force.
- Lane · entry 29735
- Mufradāt · row 1063
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:123word 11
“harshness”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 3:159غَلِيظَ(and) harsh
- 4:21غَلِيظًۭاstrong
- 4:154غَلِيظًۭاsolemn
- 9:73وَٱغْلُظْand be stern
- 9:123غِلْظَةًۭ ۚharshness
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 21 Classical meanings
غَلُظَ
To become thick, gross, bulky, or coarse; of a body, garment, or other physical thing, and also of rough or rugged land.
This is the general physical use of the Form I verb, distinct from the Quranic Form X description of growing vegetation.
- Lane · entry 29725
غَلِيظٌ
Thick, gross, big, bulky, or coarse; also rough or rugged, especially of land.
A physical adjective applied to bodies, cloth, and comparable things.
- Lane · entry 29737
غِلْظَةٌ / غَلْظَةٌ / غُلْظَةٌ
Thickness, grossness, bulkiness, or coarseness; also physical roughness or ruggedness.
These nominal variants are attested as substantives derived from the physical sense of the root.
- Lane · entry 29735
غَلْظٌ
Rough or rugged land or ground.
A rare and lexicographically disputed noun; some authorities repudiate it or treat it as related to غَلِيظٌ.
- Lane · entry 29731
غَلِيظٌ
Dense or deep in color.
Used of the intensity or depth of a color.
- Lane · entry 29725
- Lane · entry 29737
غَلُظَ
To become hard or difficult, of an affair; by analogy, to be gross or grave, of a crime.
The application to a crime is reported as analogical rather than as an independently transmitted usage.
- Lane · entry 29725
غَلِيظٌ
Hard or difficult, of an affair.
A figurative application of the adjective to circumstances or matters that are difficult to deal with.
- Lane · entry 29737
غَلَّظَ
To make or render something thick, gross, bulky, or coarse; figuratively, to make it hard or difficult.
Form II is causative and may describe making a matter difficult for someone.
- Lane · entry 29726
غَلَّظَ
To make an oath strong, forcible, confirmed, or ratified; to be rigorous or severe in an oath.
Used with an oath or in administering an oath.
- Lane · entry 29726
- Lane · entry 29740
مُغَالَظَةٌ
Mutual opposition carried on with roughness or hostility; mutual enmity.
A Form III verbal noun describing reciprocal antagonism.
- Lane · entry 29727
أَغْلَظَ
To find a garment or piece of cloth thick or coarse.
Some reports extend the expression to buying cloth in that condition, but finding it thick or coarse is the preferred interpretation.
- Lane · entry 29728
أَغْلَظَ
To alight, or to alight and remain, in a rough or rugged tract of land.
An intransitive Form IV use.
- Lane · entry 29728
أَغْلَظَ
To be rough, harsh, coarse, rude, or ungentle toward someone in speech.
Used with في القول; this speech-related construction is distinguished from the Form II expression غَلَّظَ.
- Lane · entry 29728
اِسْتَغْلَظَ
To regard something as thick, gross, bulky, or coarse; to refrain from buying cloth because of its thickness or coarseness.
A Classical Form X evaluative or transitive use, distinct from the Quranic inchoative use with vegetation.
- Lane · entry 29730
غِلْظَةٌ
Roughness, coarseness, rudeness, unkindness, hardness, or incivility in manners, conduct, or speech.
The noun is the opposite of رِقَّة in social behavior and disposition.
- Lane · entry 29735
غِلْظَةٌ
Hardness or difficulty of an affair.
A figurative nominal use for circumstances that are difficult or severe.
- Lane · entry 29735
غِلْظَةٌ
Hostility or enmity between parties.
Used in the construction describing hostility between two sides.
- Lane · entry 29735
غَلِيظٌ
Severe or vehement, of slaying or wounding.
A Classical extension of the adjective to violent acts; it is not treated as a separate Quranic object restriction.
- Lane · entry 29737
غَلِيظٌ
Bitter, of water.
A specialized figurative application of the adjective.
- Lane · entry 29737
دِيَةٌ مُغَلَّظَةٌ
An aggravated bloodwit or fine for bloodshed, made legally more severe than an ordinary compensation.
A technical legal expression for compensation due in specified aggravated or intentional homicide circumstances.
- Lane · entry 29740
مُسْتَغْلَظٌ
The thick part of the forearm.
A specialized anatomical noun.
- Lane · entry 29741
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The public Form I headword غَلُظَ is normalized from the Quranic imperative ٱغْلُظْ.
The rare Classical noun غَلْظٌ meaning rough land is retained, but the supplied lexicographic evidence records disagreement about its validity.