Quranic root
نذر
n · dh · r
The root centers on causing fear or apprehension, especially by communicating a danger, and on becoming wary of a danger.
From warning and taking heed developed the sense of informing someone with an admonitory or threatening implication. The noun نَذْر also denotes an obligation voluntarily imposed on oneself, as though one fears the consequence of failing to fulfill it.
- Maqāyīs · row 4600
- Mufradāt · row 1428
- 7
- Quran-attested forms
- 11
- Quran senses
- 130
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
نَذَرَ
nadhara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To vow; make an act, offering, or future action binding or obligatory upon oneself.
Used with the person making the vow as subject, often with عَلَى نَفْسِهِ or لِلّٰهِ. The Quranic use includes voluntarily dedicating a child to religious service by vow.
- Lane · entry 43518
- Mufradāt · row 1428
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:270word 6
“you vow”
Quran 3:35word 7
“[I] vowed”
To become aware of something and take heed of it; become wary or remain on guard against it.
The Quranic passive occurrence presents the result as being warned or made aware and cautious of a danger.
- Lane · entry 43518
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:45word 11
“they are warned”
أَنْذَرَ
ʾandhara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- Quran occurrences
- 44 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 warn someone of a danger or consequence; caution, put on guard, or put in fear by communicating it.
The Quranic form is used for announcing punishment, danger, or an impending event in an admonitory context. Voice, tense, and object marking vary grammatically without changing the lexical sense.
- Lane · entry 43519
- Mufradāt · row 1428
Selected Quran examples
Quran 40:18word 1
“And warn them”
Quran 18:2word 2
“to warn”
مُنْذَر
mundhar
- Part of speech
- Passive participle
- Quran occurrences
- 5 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.
One who has been warned, cautioned, or put in fear.
This is the passive-participial state resulting from being warned or admonished; the Quran uses the plural form for those who have received such warning.
- Lane · entry 43519
Selected Quran examples
Quran 10:73word 17
“(of) those who were warned”
Quran 26:173word 6
“(on) those who were warned”
مُنْذِر
mundhir
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 15 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.
One who warns or cautions; a warner.
The Quran uses the active participle for individual or collective bearers of warning, including prophetic warners.
- Lane · entry 43527
- Lane · entry 43531
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:213word 9
“and (as) warners”
Quran 38:4word 4
“a warner”
نَذِير
nadhīr
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 58 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 warner; one who gives notice of a danger, enemy, or other consequential matter.
The term may denote a human or a nonhuman bearer of warning. Its plural نُذُر occurs in Quranic contexts referring either to warners or to warnings, according to construction and interpretation.
- Lane · entry 43527
- Mufradāt · row 1428
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:25word 8
“a warner”
Quran 35:37word 20
“the warner”
A warning, admonition, or warning-sign; something that conveys notice of danger or consequence.
This substantival use is especially visible where نَذِير refers to the warning itself rather than exclusively to its bearer.
- Mufradāt · row 1428
- Lane · entry 43524
Selected Quran examples
Quran 74:36word 1
“A warning”
A messenger or prophet in the role of a bearer of warning.
A Quran-focused interpretive use identifies النَّذِير with the apostle or Prophet as the bearer of warning. The historical citation attached to this interpretation is not converted here into a modern verse location.
- Lane · entry 43527
Hoariness or whiteness of the hair.
This is a less probable alternative interpretation reported for a Quranic expression in the lexical discussion, rather than the ordinary Quranic sense of نَذِير.
- Lane · entry 43527
نُذْر
nudhr
- 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.
A warning or admonition, especially one intended to put someone on guard or in fear.
In the Quranic construction عُذْرًا أَوْ نُذْرًا, the noun functions as a causal complement meaning warning or admonition.
- Lane · entry 43524
Selected Quran examples
Quran 77:6word 3
“warning”
نَذْر
nadhr
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
A vow: a voluntary undertaking by which a person makes an act, offering, or payment binding upon oneself, either absolutely or conditionally.
The Quranic form includes both singular نَذْر and plural نُذُور. A conditional vow may make an undertaking obligatory upon the occurrence of a specified event.
- Lane · entry 43518
- Lane · entry 43523
- Mufradāt · row 1428
Selected Quran examples
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:6ءَأَنذَرْتَهُمْwhether you warn them
- 2:6تُنذِرْهُمْyou warn them
- 2:119وَنَذِيرًۭا ۖand (as) a warner
- 2:213وَمُنذِرِينَand (as) warners
- 2:270نَذَرْتُمyou vow
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 14 Classical meanings
أَنْذَرَ
To inform or advise someone of a matter, without the warning or frightening implication that often accompanies the verb.
A broader Classical Arabic use distinguished from the Quran-attested admonitory use; the information may concern a matter or the movement of an enemy.
- Lane · entry 43519
تَنَاذَرَ
To warn or caution one another, or put one another in fear of a terrifying danger.
Used reciprocally of a group mutually warning each other about a feared matter.
- Lane · entry 43520
اِسْتَنْذَرَ
To offer or give warning to someone.
A Classical Form X construction with the person warned expressed by إِلَى.
- Lane · entry 43522
نَذْر
Compensation or a mulct owed for an intentional wound.
A technical and dialectal usage, equated with أَرْش; it is distinct from the vow meaning.
- Lane · entry 43523
نَذْر
A votive offering made in fulfillment of a vow.
A Classical nominal specialization of the vow branch.
- Lane · entry 43523
نَذِير
A scout or spy who reports the presence or condition of an enemy to a people or army.
This is a specialized human role within the broader branch of giving warning.
- Lane · entry 43527
نَذِير
A thing vowed or made the object of a vow.
A Classical use equating نَذِير with مَنْذُور, distinct from the ordinary sense of a warner.
- Lane · entry 43527
نَذِير
Abū Mundhir, a traditional name or epithet for the cock.
An idiomatic naming usage, not a general meaning of every occurrence of نَذِير.
- Lane · entry 43527
نَذِير
The sound of a bow.
A figurative or lexicalized Classical usage explained by the warning or frightening effect of the sound on its target.
- Lane · entry 43527
نَذِيرَة
A votive gift or offering given by one who has made a vow.
The feminine noun denotes the offered object rather than the act of vowing itself.
- Lane · entry 43529
نَذِيرَة
A child vowed and appointed for service in a church or other place devoted to religious exercises.
A specialized religious and social usage of the feminine noun.
- Lane · entry 43529
مُنَذِّر
One who looks hard or intently, making the eye prominent.
An idiomatic expression describing an intense fixed gaze.
- Lane · entry 43533
مُتَنَاذَر
A thing of which people warn one another or which they cause one another to fear.
Applied to a disease or other dreaded matter; the mutual-warning relation is part of the lexical meaning.
- Lane · entry 43534
مُتَنَاذَر
A lion.
A figurative or tropical application of the term to a creature regarded as one of which people warn and frighten one another.
- Lane · entry 43534
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The reported interpretation of نَذِير as hoariness or whiteness of hair is retained as a less probable Quran-specific reading; the historical citation is not treated as a modern verse reference.
The Form I and Form IV passive imperfects can have the same visible Quranic surface pattern in transcription; the grouping and occurrence assignments follow the supplied QAC morphology.