Quranic root
كرر
k · r · r
The root centers on gathering and repeated turning: something is brought back, turned again toward a point, or gathered after dispersal.
This orientation develops into return, recurrence, repetition, reversal, and related names for gathered objects, repeated sounds, and renewed action. These root-level associations do not make every derivative equivalent in meaning.
- Maqāyīs · row 3958
- Mufradāt · row 1241
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 4
- Quran senses
- 6
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
كَرَّة
karrah
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 6 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.
A return or reversion, especially a hoped-for return to the world or to a former state.
Used in contexts of wishing to return after separation, loss, or rejection; the return may be physical or a return to a previous condition.
- Lane · entry 28051
- Mufradāt · row 1241
Selected Quran examples
A return to life; resurrection.
An eschatological use referring to renewed life after death, as in the prospect of returning again.
- Lane · entry 28051
Selected Quran examples
Quran 79:12word 4
“(would be) a return”
A turn that restores ascendancy over an opposing party; victory.
In the construction of turning back against opponents, it denotes a reversal of fortunes and the resulting victory rather than merely a return.
- Lane · entry 28051
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:6word 4
“the return victory”
A time or occurrence, especially a repeated turn or occurrence.
With a numeral, it denotes the number of times something occurs; كَرَّتَيْنِ means twice.
- Lane · entry 28051
Selected Quran examples
Quran 67:4word 4
“twice (again)”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:167كَرَّةًۭa return
- 17:6ٱلْكَرَّةَthe return victory
- 26:102كَرَّةًۭa return
- 39:58كَرَّةًۭanother chance
- 67:4كَرَّتَيْنِtwice (again)
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 22 Classical meanings
كَرَّ
To return, turn back toward or against, or turn away from; in warfare, to wheel and charge.
The verb may describe return toward or against a person or thing, return from something, or repeated return; the battle use includes wheeling back and charging.
- Lane · entry 28044
كَرَّ
To cause someone or something to return or revert; to turn an implement or mount back against an opponent.
A transitive construction, including making someone turn back from a matter or turning a spear or horse against an opponent.
- Lane · entry 28044
كَرَّرَ
To repeat or reiterate something, by action or speech.
It can denote repetition one time after another and is not limited to a single repetition.
- Lane · entry 28045
تَكَرَّرَ
To become repeated, reiterated, or recurrent.
May describe a saying or event that recurs for someone or in experience.
- Lane · entry 28046
كَرّ
A rope, tether, or rope-like binding.
Includes a looped palm-fiber rope used for climbing, ropes associated with sails or ships, and palm-fiber hobbles or shackles.
- Lane · entry 28049
كَرّ
The connector or leather fitting joining the two wooden parts of a camel saddle.
A specialized saddle-making term for the piece into which the saddle parts are inserted.
- Lane · entry 28049
كُرّ
A large measure of capacity, especially for grain or other agricultural produce.
The exact quantity varies by regional and named systems of measurement.
- Lane · entry 28050
كَرَّ
To utter a throttled, rattling, or strained sound.
Used of a person, especially one fatigued or dying, and of a horse making a comparable sound in the breast or throat.
- Lane · entry 28044
كَرَّ
To give up the spirit at death.
A specialized resultative use associated with the cessation of life.
- Lane · entry 28044
كَرِير
Hoarseness or roughness of the voice caused by dust.
A noun describing the resulting quality of the voice.
- Lane · entry 28053
كَرَّة
A return to combat after wheeling away or retreating; a charge or assault in war.
This military specialization is distinct from the Quranic use of victory as the outcome of a turn against an opposing party.
- Lane · entry 28051
كِرْكِرَة
The callosity or projecting breast protuberance of a camel, and by extension the breast of an animal with a hoof-like foot.
In camels it is one of the callous resting points on the body; the term also applies more broadly to the corresponding breast area of such animals.
- Lane · entry 28055
كِرْكِرَة
A gathered group or assembled body of people.
A figurative extension from the notion of something gathered together.
- Maqāyīs · row 3958
- Mufradāt · row 1241
كَرْكَرَة
The turning of wind through clouds and gathering them after dispersal.
Describes recurrent movement that restores a scattered cloud formation.
- Maqāyīs · row 3958
- Mufradāt · row 1241
كُرّ
A water hollow or collected water source.
A lexical use for a place or body of collected water, with كِرَار as its plural.
- Maqāyīs · row 3958
مَكَرّ
A place of war or fighting where combatants repeatedly return to the conflict.
The place is characterized by repeated wheeling away and turning back into combat.
- Lane · entry 28056
مِكَرّ
One who frequently returns to the fight; a horse fit for returning to combat and charging.
Applied to a combatant or to a trained, willing, active horse able to return and charge after retreating.
- Lane · entry 28057
مِكَرَّة
A she-camel that is milked twice each day.
A specialized descriptive use referring to the repeated milking schedule.
- Lane · entry 28057
مُكَرَّر
Repeated or reiterated.
A passive participial adjective describing something that has been repeated.
- Lane · entry 28058
مُكَرَّر
Refined, especially as an epithet for sugar.
A later or current usage distinct from the older participial sense of repeated.
- Lane · entry 28058
كَرْكَرَ
To hold someone back from something or make him turn back without granting his request.
A reported causative construction understood as sending someone back rather than fulfilling the matter at the first request.
- Maqāyīs · row 3958
كَرْكَرَ
To call out repeatedly to a hen.
A specialized use explained through the repetition of the call.
- Maqāyīs · row 3958
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Lane and Maqāyīs material is indexed under the contracted geminate heading كر, while QAC identifies the canonical Quran root as كرر.
The Quranic noun كرة spans return, restoration to life, victory as a reversal of fortunes, and repeated occurrence; these senses are separated where the lexical result or construction materially differs.
The resurrection interpretation is specifically associated here with the Quranic return context and should not be generalized to every occurrence of كرة.
Unassigned or ambiguous evidence
Maqāyīs reports الكَرِكُ with possible meanings “the fool” or “the red one,” but immediately characterizes the statement as كلام; it is therefore retained as unassigned rather than presented as a secure lexical meaning.