Quranic root
مهن
m · h · n
The root centers on contempt, lowliness, and reduced worth, with a related lexical branch concerning service and labor.
Alongside the core sense of being held low or in contempt, the lexical family includes terms for service, a servant, and specialized uses involving pulling a garment and milking camels.
- Maqāyīs · row 4478
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 4
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
مَهِين
mahīn
- Part of speech
- Adjective · also used substantivally
- Quran occurrences
- 4 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.
Held in contempt; lowly, abject, insignificant, or of little worth.
Used adjectivally and substantivally in the supplied Quran occurrences to characterize the referent as lowly or lacking worth.
- Lane · entry 5883
Selected Quran examples
Quran 32:8word 8
“despised”
Quran 43:52word 8
“(is) insignificant”
Quran 68:10word 5
“worthless”
Quran 77:20word 5
“despicable”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 4 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 9 Classical meanings
اِمْتَهَنَ
To use something for service or work; to put it to service.
Form VIII verb.
- Lane · entry 5881
اِمْتَهَنَ
To regard something as mean or of little account; to hold it in mean estimation.
Form VIII verb; a derived evaluative use distinct from the adjective مَهِين.
- Lane · entry 5881
مِهْنَة
Work, labor, or service; the ministration or performance of an office.
Noun denoting work, service, or the execution of an office.
- Lane · entry 5882
مِهْنَة
Clothing worn in service or in the performance of business.
A noun for service or business clothing.
- Lane · entry 5882
مَهِين
Weak; having little judgment and discrimination.
A Classical descriptive use for weakness accompanied by deficient judgment or discernment.
- Lane · entry 5883
مَهَانَة
Contempt, lowliness, or baseness.
Abstract noun for the state or quality of being held in low estimation.
- Maqāyīs · row 4478
مَاهِن
A servant.
Noun designating one who serves.
- Maqāyīs · row 4478
مَهَنَ
To pull or tug a garment; a garment so treated is described as مَمْهُون.
A reported transitive use specifically involving a garment.
- Maqāyīs · row 4478
مَهَنَ
To milk camels.
A separately reported transitive usage; the source presents it as an additional reported expression.
- Maqāyīs · row 4478
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The QAC grouping combines three adjectival occurrences with one substantival occurrence; the public headword is normalized to مَهِين.
The weak and poor-judgment sense is retained as Classical Arabic coverage rather than folded into the Quranic low-worth sense, since the packet does not independently establish that specialization in a Quran occurrence.