Quranic root
كسو
k · s · w
The root centers on clothing or covering something by placing an outer layer upon it.
The clothing image extends to covering land with vegetation and to figurative coverings such as dust, while the Quranic forms attest clothing people and covering bones with flesh.
- Mufradāt · row 1246
- 2
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- 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.
كَسَا
kasā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 3 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 clothe or cover someone or something by putting an outer layer upon it; to provide clothing for people or to cover bones with flesh.
Transitive. In the Quranic usages, the covering may be ordinary clothing supplied to people or flesh placed over bones in an anatomical construction.
- Mufradāt · row 1246
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:5word 12
“and clothe them”
Quran 23:14word 11
“then We clothed”
Quran 2:259word 55
“We cover them”
كِسْوَةٌ
kiswahun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
Clothing; a garment.
In the Quranic contexts, clothing is understood as clothing worn or supplied for the persons concerned.
- Mufradāt · row 1246
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:233word 15
“and their clothing”
Quran 5:89word 22
“clothing them”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:233وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّand their clothing
- 2:259نَكْسُوهَاWe cover them
- 4:5وَٱكْسُوهُمْand clothe them
- 5:89كِسْوَتُهُمْclothing them
- 23:14فَكَسَوْنَاthen We clothed
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 8 Classical meanings
كَسَا
To invest or furnish someone with a sword.
Attested in the construction كَسَوْتُهُ سَيْفًا, meaning to equip or invest him with a sword.
- Lane · entry 32862
كِسَاءٌ
A garment, especially a single-piece wrapper or wrapping cloth.
The garment is properly described as a single piece rather than one cut and sewn, though it could sometimes be sewn in the manner of an ʿabāʾah.
- Lane · entry 32864
ذُو كِسَاءٍ
A poor man.
A reported figurative use in the contrast ذُو كِسَاءٍ versus ذُو بُرْدٍ.
- Lane · entry 32864
رَكِبَ كِسَاءَهُ
To fall upon the back of one's neck.
Fixed idiomatic expression.
- Lane · entry 32864
كَاسٍ
Clothed; having clothing.
Active-participial adjective describing one who has clothing.
- Lane · entry 32865
اِكْتَسَى
To become clothed or covered, as land with vegetation.
An intransitive derived construction; the attested example describes land covered with vegetation.
- Mufradāt · row 1246
كِسَاءٌ
A thin covering or film over milk.
A poetic expression is interpreted as referring to milk once its thin skin has formed.
- Mufradāt · row 1246
أَكْسَاءُ خَيْلٍ
The backs or rear parts of horses, in a poetic idiom.
In على أَكْسَاءِ خَيْلٍ; the expression is explained through dust clothing the animals.
- Mufradāt · row 1246
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
كِسَاءٌ, the classical garment or wrapper, is lexically distinct from the Quranic nominal citation form كِسْوَةٌ, although both belong to the clothing field.
The rare poetic and idiomatic uses are broader Classical Arabic evidence and are not presented as additional Quranic senses.