Quranic root
همز
h · m · z
The root centers on pressing, squeezing, or compressing something, whether physically, in articulation, or figuratively through forceful prompting and censure.
Its semantic range develops from physical pressure to pushing and goading, compressed pronunciation, the devil's pressing suggestions, and verbal fault-finding or defamation.
- Maqāyīs · row 4937
- Lane · entry 10646
- Mufradāt · row 1532
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 3
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
هَمْزَة
hamzah
- 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.
An evil prompting or suggestion of the devils.
Used in the Quranic construction هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ for what devils inspire into the human mind.
- Lane · entry 10646
- Lane · entry 10649
- Mufradāt · row 1532
Selected Quran examples
Quran 23:97word 6
“(the) suggestions”
هَمَّاز
hammāz
- Part of speech
- Adjective
- 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.
A defamer or slanderer, one who speaks ill of others.
A person-designating form whose usage includes fault-finding, backbiting, and repeated or intensive disparagement.
- Lane · entry 10650
- Mufradāt · row 1532
Selected Quran examples
Quran 68:11word 1
“Defamer”
هُمَزَة
humazah
- 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.
A fault-finder, backbiter, or defamer who speaks ill of others.
Applied to a man or woman; the described conduct may include reproach behind the back, verbal defamation, or disparaging signs and gestures.
- Lane · entry 10650
- Mufradāt · row 1532
Selected Quran examples
Quran 104:1word 3
“slanderer”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 3 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 14 Classical meanings
هَمَزَ
To press, squeeze, or pinch something; also to compress a head or straighten a spear-shaft by such pressure.
A physical transitive use, with the object understood broadly.
- Lane · entry 10646
هَمَزَ
To push, impel, or repel a person or thing; to drive someone toward another person or thing.
Includes the conventional expression for a need driving or impelling someone toward someone or something.
- Lane · entry 10646
هَمَزَ
To strike or beat someone.
A physical action distinct from pressing or impelling.
- Lane · entry 10646
هَمَزَ
To goad or spur, urging an animal onward.
Used of urging an animal to move or run, especially with a goad or spur.
- Lane · entry 10646
هَمَزَ
To bite someone.
- Lane · entry 10646
هَمَزَ
To break something.
- Lane · entry 10646
هَمَزَ
To blame, reproach, or find fault with someone; to speak ill of or backbite them.
The backbiting use involves mentioning a person's faults or vices behind the person's back, even when the allegations may be true.
- Lane · entry 10646
هَمَزَ الحَرْفَ
To pronounce a letter or word with hamz, the sound represented by ء.
The articulation is described as a compressed or forced emission from the point of utterance.
- Lane · entry 10646
اِنْهَمَزَ
To be pressed, squeezed, or pinched, or to be pushed; of a word, to be pronounced with hamz.
A Form VII quasi-passive use corresponding to the physical and pronunciation senses of هَمَزَ.
- Lane · entry 10647
هَمْزُ الشَّيْطَانِ
Madness or insanity attributed to the devil's goading, pressing, or pinching.
A figurative interpretation of the devil's hamz, distinct from the Quranic sense of the devil's suggestions.
- Lane · entry 10648
هَمْزٌ / هَمْزَة
The hamzah, the letter ء, regarded as a member of the alphabet and a sister of alif.
هَمْزٌ is the general noun and هَمْزَة the unitary noun for the letter.
- Lane · entry 10648
هَامِز
One who blames, reproaches, finds fault with, backbites, or defames others.
A person-designating active participle in the same lexical branch as هُمَزَة and هَمَّاز.
- Lane · entry 10650
مِهْمَزَة
An instrument for beating or goading, such as a spur, staff, or stick, sometimes fitted with an iron point, used to urge animals onward.
Its plural may also designate instruments used to pinch and straighten spear-shafts.
- Lane · entry 10654
مِهْمَاز
A spur: an iron point attached to the boot of one who breaks or trains draught animals.
The attested plurals include forms used for spurs or related goading instruments.
- Lane · entry 10655
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic plural هَمَزَات is normalized here under the supported singular citation هَمْزَة, which is distinct in vocalization from هُمَزَة, the defamer.
هَمَّاز and هُمَزَة have overlapping Quranic descriptions; the evidence does not establish a reliable semantic contrast between them. Lane also reports differing analyses of the intensiveness of هُمَزَة and treats its ending as applicable to either sex.