Quranic root
مطر
m · ṭ · r
The root has two principal orientations: rain or water descending from the sky, and rapid movement or running.
The rain sense develops into causing rain to fall, being rained upon, seeking rain or bounty, and descriptions of rainy places, days, and protective garments. A distinct lexical branch concerns swift movement, departure, and haste.
- Maqāyīs · row 4402
- Mufradāt · row 1374
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 15
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَمْطَرَ
ʾamṭara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- Quran occurrences
- 7 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 cause rain or a descending shower to fall upon; to rain down upon.
In the Quranic attestations this Form IV use is associated especially with punishment. The descending material may be ordinary rain or, by comparison, stones falling from the sky; the passive construction describes a place being subjected to such a shower.
- Lane · entry 12772
- Lane · entry 12773
- Mufradāt · row 1374
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:84word 1
“And We showered”
Quran 8:32word 11
“then (send) rain”
Quran 15:74word 4
“and We rained”
Quran 25:40word 6
“was showered”
مَطَرٌ
maṭarun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 7 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.
Rain; water descending from the sky.
The Quran uses the noun both for ordinary rainfall and for a punitive shower. In the punitive passages, the “rain” may be stones descending from the sky, treated as rain because of their descent.
- Lane · entry 12776
- Mufradāt · row 1374
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:102word 48
“rain”
Quran 25:40word 7
“(with) a rain”
Quran 26:173word 3
“a rain”
Quran 27:58word 5
“(the) rain”
مُمْطِرٌ
mumṭirun
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- 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.
Rain-bringing; causing rain to fall.
An active participle associated with Form IV, describing a bringer or cause of rain.
- Lane · entry 12773
- Lane · entry 12787
Selected Quran examples
Quran 46:24word 9
“bringing us rain”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 4:102مَّطَرٍrain
- 7:84وَأَمْطَرْنَاAnd We showered
- 7:84مَّطَرًۭا ۖa rain
- 8:32فَأَمْطِرْthen (send) rain
- 11:82وَأَمْطَرْنَاand We rained
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 30 Classical meanings
مَطَرَ
To rain, or to rain upon someone or something; said of the sky or rain.
The Form I verb is described as pertaining to rain, with some authorities associating it with beneficial rain in contrast to Form IV in punitive contexts.
- Lane · entry 12772
مَطَرَ
To have good or evil poured upon one; to cause good to befall someone.
A figurative extension of pouring rain, used with الخير or الشر and similar expressions.
- Lane · entry 12772
مَطَرَ
To run swiftly, hasten, or move rapidly.
Used of rapid passing or running, including a horse, birds in quick descent, or movement across the land.
- Lane · entry 12772
- Maqāyīs · row 4402
مَطَرَ
To go away or depart; to take away or carry off.
Used of a person, animal, or thing that has gone away, and in a transitive construction for taking something away.
- Lane · entry 12772
أَمْطَرَ
To find a place rained upon; to be in rain or have rain upon one.
A resultative or experiential use distinct from the causative construction attested in the Quranic form.
- Lane · entry 12773
أَمْطَرَ
To lower the eyes toward the ground and sweat after being addressed.
A figurative idiomatic use reported for a person who reacts with downcast silence and perspiration.
- Lane · entry 12773
تَمَطَّرَ
To expose oneself to the rain or go out into the rain and its cold.
Describes deliberately presenting oneself to rainfall.
- Lane · entry 12774
- Mufradāt · row 1374
مَطَّرَ، تَمَطَّرَ
To travel across the land or depart with the rapid movement of rain.
A derived-motion use distinct from merely exposing oneself to rain.
- Mufradāt · row 1374
اِسْتَمْطَرَ
To ask, beg, or pray for rain.
May be used with God as the one from whom rain is sought.
- Lane · entry 12775
اِسْتَمْطَرَ
To seek, desire, or demand someone's beneficence or bounty.
A figurative extension in which requested bounty is likened to rain.
- Lane · entry 12775
اِسْتَمْطَرَ
To endure lashes patiently, as though inviting their repeated descent.
A figurative idiom based on the falling of rain.
- Lane · entry 12775
اِسْتَمْطَرَ
To remain silent and not speak when addressed.
A figurative use explained as desiring that words should pour upon the silent person like rain.
- Lane · entry 12775
اِسْتَمْطَرَ
To go out to the rain.
Used of livestock going out in search of rain.
- Lane · entry 12775
اِسْتَمْطَرَ
To seek shelter from rain or put on a garment for protection in rain.
The construction describes taking practical measures in response to rainfall.
- Lane · entry 12775
مَطَرَةٌ
A leather waterskin or similar water container.
A concrete nominal usage, including a leather bottle or vessel.
- Lane · entry 12779
مَطْرَانٌ
A metropolitan, an ecclesiastical title.
A technical title with variant pronunciations reported in the lexical tradition.
- Lane · entry 12781
مَطَّارٌ
A horse that runs vehemently.
An intensive descriptive noun derived from the rapid-movement branch.
- Lane · entry 12783
مَاطِرٌ
Rainy; characterized by rain.
Used of a sky or a day of rain.
- Lane · entry 12784
مِمْطَرٌ
A garment worn in rain to protect the wearer from it.
A woollen or comparable rain-protective garment; the feminine form is also cross-referenced to this meaning.
- Lane · entry 12786
مِمْطَارٌ
Pouring down abundant rain.
Used especially in the expression “a sky pouring down abundant rain.”
- Lane · entry 12789
مَمْطُورٌ
Rained upon or watered by rain.
Used of a place, valley, or land that has received rain.
- Lane · entry 12790
- Mufradāt · row 1374
مُتَمَطِّرٌ
Going out into gardens or fields after rain.
Describes movement into rain-watered places after rainfall.
- Lane · entry 12791
مُتَمَطِّرٌ
Swift or hastening, especially in the descent or movement of a bird or a horseman.
A figurative comparison with the rapid descent of rain.
- Lane · entry 12791
- Mufradāt · row 1374
مُسْتَمْطَرٌ
One from whom beneficence or bounty is sought; hence, naturally generous.
A passive-participial extension of seeking rain or bounty.
- Lane · entry 12792
مُسْتَمْطَرٌ
Open and uncovered.
A place exposed to the sky and therefore to rain.
- Lane · entry 12792
مُسْتَمْطِرٌ
Asking, begging, or praying for rain.
The active participle of the request-for-rain construction.
- Lane · entry 12793
مُسْتَمْطِرٌ
Seeking, desiring, or demanding beneficence or bounty from someone.
A figurative use of seeking rain applied to seeking a person's generosity.
- Lane · entry 12793
مُسْتَمْطِرٌ
Needing rain.
Used of a place lacking or awaiting rainfall.
- Lane · entry 12793
مُسْتَمْطِرٌ
Silent and not speaking when addressed.
A figurative use connected with waiting for words to pour forth like rain.
- Lane · entry 12793
مُسْتَمْطِرٌ
Having rain fallen upon one.
A passive-resultative sense distinct from the active sense of asking for rain.
- Lane · entry 12793
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The sources report a tendency to associate مَطَرَ with beneficial rain and أَمْطَرَ with punitive descent, while also recording disagreement that the two forms can overlap. This is a usage distinction rather than an absolute rule for every occurrence.