Quranic root
مسد
m · s · d
The root denotes twisting, plaiting, or folding something tightly, especially into a rope or cord.
The concrete sense develops from twisting palm fibre and other materials into rope, with related extensions describing tightly knit, compact, or well-formed bodies.
- Maqāyīs · row 4369
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- Quran senses
- 1
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
مَسَدٌ
masadun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
Palm fibre, a fibrous material used to make rope.
In the Quranic expression حَبْلٌ مِنْ مَسَدٍ, the word denotes the fibre or material of which the rope is made; the supplied Quranic context gloss is “palm-fiber.”
- Lane · entry 12656
- Mufradāt · row 1366
Selected Quran examples
Quran 111:5word 5
“palm-fiber”
A firmly twisted rope or cord; in the Quranic expression حَبْلٌ مِنْ مَسَدٍ, a strongly twisted chain or rope.
This is a construction-specific Quranic interpretation of حَبْلٌ مِنْ مَسَدٍ; the classical interpretation includes a chain of firmly twisted iron, and does not make “iron” the general meaning of the noun.
- Lane · entry 12656
Selected Quran examples
Quran 111:5word 5
“palm-fiber”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 111:5مَّسَدٍۭpalm-fiber
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 12 Classical meanings
مَسَدَ
To twist a rope, or to twist it firmly or well.
A Form I verb with the infinitive مَسْدٌ.
- Lane · entry 12655
مَسَدَ
To pursue a journey laboriously or energetically; to continue or hold to a journey.
The usage may refer to travel by night or to continuous travel by night or day.
- Lane · entry 12655
مَسَدَ
To make an animal lean, lank, or light of flesh.
The stated causes include continued travel and leguminous herbage.
- Lane · entry 12655
مُسِدَ
Of the belly, to become soft, small, even, and free of ugliness.
A passive or resultative usage describing the condition of the belly.
- Lane · entry 12655
يَمْسُدُ أَعْلَى لَحْمِهِ
In an idiomatic expression concerning camel milk, to strengthen the upper parts of the flesh and make them firm.
This meaning is attested in the cited expression rather than as a general unrestricted gloss for every occurrence of the verb.
- Lane · entry 12655
مَمْسُودٌ
Well-turned, compact, and slender in build; of good stature or a well-knit frame.
Applied to a person; the feminine form مَمْسُودَةٌ is also used, including for a woman who is compactly formed.
- Lane · entry 12655
- Lane · entry 12659
مَمْسُودٌ
Of a belly, soft, small, even, and without ugliness.
This is a descriptive adjectival use distinct from the passive verbal expression مُسِدَ.
- Lane · entry 12659
مَسَدٌ
A rope or cord, especially one plaited and firmly twisted, made from fibre, hair, wool, hide, plants, bark, or other materials.
This records the broader Classical usage beyond the Quranic palm-fibre context; the noun may refer to the rope itself as well as to its material.
- Lane · entry 12656
مَسَدٌ مُغَارٌ
A back compact like a strongly twisted rope.
A figurative descriptive expression applied to the back.
- Lane · entry 12656
مَسَدٌ
An iron axis or spindle of a pulley.
A specialized technical noun.
- Lane · entry 12656
مِسَادٌ
A skin container for clarified butter or honey, or a black skin used for wine and similar liquids.
A dialectal form related to مِسْأَبٌ.
- Lane · entry 12657
مَسْدَاءُ
Even and well-formed, goodly, or beautiful.
Used in the expression ساقٌ مَسْدَاءُ, describing a shank.
- Lane · entry 12658
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic phrase حَبْلٌ مِنْ مَسَدٍ supports both a palm-fibre/material reading and a classical interpretation as a firmly twisted chain, including iron; these are presented as distinct constructional senses rather than as a general claim that مَسَدٌ means iron.
The Quranic occurrence is the genitive form مَسَدٍ in 111:5; the public headword is normalized to the citation form مَسَدٌ.