Quranic root
جثم
j · th · m
The root expresses the gathering or settling of something into a compact state, especially by remaining close to the ground.
This orientation extends to the body or person as a gathered physical form and to creatures that crouch, lie, or remain fixed on the ground; further lexical branches concern collected matter and other settled or compact forms.
- Maqāyīs · row 1081
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 5
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
جَاثِمٌ
jāthimun
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- 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.
Remaining pressed to the ground or lying motionless; in Quranic usage, people left as fallen bodies in their dwellings.
The attested form is the masculine plural جَاثِمِينَ. In the Quranic scenes of punishment, the posture may be rendered “fallen prone,” “motionless,” or, by contextual implication, “extinct” or “dead.” The expression is figurative of people remaining in place, from the posture of a creature sitting or clinging to the ground.
- Lane · entry 46009
- Mufradāt · row 229
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:78word 6
“fallen prone”
Quran 11:67word 8
“fallen prone”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 7:78جَـٰثِمِينَfallen prone
- 7:91جَـٰثِمِينَfallen prone
- 11:67جَـٰثِمِينَfallen prone
- 11:94جَـٰثِمِينَfallen prone
- 29:37جَـٰثِمِينَfallen prone
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 18 Classical meanings
جَثَمَ؛ جَاثِمٌ
To cling to the ground, remain in one’s place, or fall upon the breast; of a bird, hare, gazelle, camel, jerboa, or person, to assume such a crouching or grounded posture.
The active participle can also describe sitting on the legs like a bird. The listed animals are attestations of usage, not an exclusive limitation on the construction.
- Lane · entry 45991
- Lane · entry 46008
جَثَمَ؛ جَثْمٌ
Of seed-produce, to rise a little from the ground; of a palm-tree raceme, for its unripe or ripening dates to become somewhat large while it remains in place.
A specialized agricultural and botanical usage.
- Lane · entry 45991
- Lane · entry 45994
جُثُومٌ
Of the night, to become half spent.
A figurative or tropical usage said of the night.
- Lane · entry 45991
جَثَمَ
To collect clay or mould, earth or dust, and ashes.
- Lane · entry 45991
جُثْمَةٌ
Collected clay, mould, earth, dust, or ashes.
A noun for the material gathered into a mass.
- Lane · entry 45998
جَثَّمَ
To make a bird, hare, or similar animal remain pressed to the ground or to confine it so that it may be shot and killed; also, to turn an animal onto its side for slaughter.
A causative slaughtering or hunting construction.
- Lane · entry 45992
تَجَثَّمَ
Of a bird, to mount the female for copulation.
A specialized sexual construction explicitly said of a bird.
- Lane · entry 45993
جُثْمَانٌ
The body with its limbs or members; also a person or bodily form.
Used for the physical body or, in one attested usage, the person as a bodily figure.
- Lane · entry 46001
جُثْمَانِيَّةُ المَاءِ
The water itself, its middle, or the place where water has collected.
A specialized expression concerning a body or central collection of water.
- Lane · entry 46002
جُثَامٌ
An incubus or nightmare: what comes upon a sleeping person at night and prevents speech.
A term for a nocturnal oppressive condition.
- Lane · entry 46003
جَثُومٌ
A hare.
A specialized lexical designation, reported as a derived usage.
- Lane · entry 46004
جُثُومٌ
A hill such as one called أَكَمَةٌ.
A specialized topographical noun.
- Lane · entry 46005
جَثَّامَةٌ؛ جَاثِمَةٌ
A sedentary person who stays in a settled region, house, or tent and does not travel; also one who sleeps much and does not travel.
A figurative characterization derived from remaining fixed in one place.
- Lane · entry 46007
- Lane · entry 46010
جَثَّامَةٌ
A stupid or dull person, lacking intelligence, penetration, sharpness, vigor, or effectiveness in carrying out affairs.
A figurative personal characterization.
- Lane · entry 46007
جَثَّامَةٌ
A forbearing or clement person, especially a chief or person of rank or quality.
An attested evaluative usage for a person of status or character.
- Lane · entry 46007
الجُثْثُومُ
The stars composing the constellation of the Scorpion.
A specialized astronomical term; the constellation is also called البُرُكُ.
- Lane · entry 46009
مَجْثَمٌ
A place where a bird or other creature clings to the ground, keeps to the ground, or falls upon its breast; especially the seat or form of a hare.
A locative noun, with a particular application to a hare’s resting place or posture.
- Lane · entry 46012
مُجَثَّمَةٌ
An animal confined or set up to be shot at, stoned, or otherwise killed; especially an animal killed in this manner and then eaten.
A specialized hunting or slaughter practice, explicitly including birds, hares, sheep, goats, and other animals.
- Lane · entry 46013
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic public headword is normalized to the singular active-participle citation form جَاثِمٌ, while all five Quran occurrences are the masculine plural جَاثِمِينَ.
In the Quranic usage, “dead” or “extinct” describes the contextual result of being left motionless; the core lexical image is remaining pressed to the ground or lying prone.