Quranic root
نوس
n · w · s
The root's central semantic orientation is oscillation, agitation, and back-and-forth movement, especially movement while hanging or suspended.
This motion extends to things that dangle, to causative and reflexive movements, and to nouns for suspended or fluttering objects. The relationship of نَاسٌ to this root is etymologically disputed: it is also derived from أُنَاسٌ or إِنْسَانٌ, and the root connection does not by itself determine the noun's Quranic meaning.
- Maqāyīs · row 4787
- Mufradāt · row 1497
- Lane · entry 44750
- Lane · entry 44747
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- Quran senses
- 241
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
نَاسٌ
nāsun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 241 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.
People; human beings; mankind.
The predominant Quranic application is to human beings collectively. In the interpretation of the closing expression of 114:6, نَاسٌ may be understood inclusively with jinn, while other analyses take it as referring to mankind specifically; this does not generalize the jinn-inclusive interpretation to every occurrence.
- Lane · entry 44750
- Mufradāt · row 1497
Selected Quran examples
Quran 114:1word 4
“(of) mankind”
Quran 114:6word 3
“and men”
People understood in the full human sense: those exemplifying human rational and moral qualities, or the virtuous among those covered by the name “people.”
A Quranic contextual specialization explicitly discussed for 2:13 and 4:54; it is a figurative or evaluative use of the ordinary noun, not a separate grammatical form or a restriction applying to every occurrence.
- Mufradāt · row 1497
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:13word 7
“the people”
Quran 4:54word 3
“(of) the people”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:8ٱلنَّاسِthe people
- 2:13ٱلنَّاسُthe people
- 2:21ٱلنَّاسُmankind
- 2:24ٱلنَّاسُ(is) [the] men
- 2:44ٱلنَّاسَ[the] people
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 10 Classical meanings
نَاسَ
To move to and fro; to be agitated while hanging or dangling.
Also used of something such as flowing saliva that moves and is in commotion.
- Lane · entry 44747
أَنَاسَ
To make something move to and fro; to cause it to dangle, hang down, and become agitated.
A causative Form IV construction; an attested example concerns ornaments made to move in the ears.
- Lane · entry 44748
تَنَوَّسَ
To become shaken and move to and fro.
A Form V movement describing something becoming agitated through motion, including movement caused by wind.
- Lane · entry 44749
نَاسُوتٌ
Human nature; humanity.
A probably post-Classical term used in contrast with لَاهُوتٌ.
- Lane · entry 44751
نُوَاسٌ
A lock or locks of hair that move to and fro; dangling tresses.
The word may function as a collective or as a designation of individual dangling locks.
- Lane · entry 44753
نُوَاسٌ
Material hanging from a roof, such as smoke or soot.
A lexical use distinct from the hair-related sense; the evidence records the form نُوَاسٌ for this meaning.
- Lane · entry 44753
نُوَاسٌ
A spider's web, understood through its fluttering or movement.
- Lane · entry 44753
نَوَّاسٌ
Quivering; flaccid or flabby.
Applied in the cited lexical evidence to a man.
- Lane · entry 44755
نَائِسٌ
Dangling or hanging down and moving about.
The active participle of نَاسَ; the cited example describes moving threads.
- Lane · entry 44756
نَاوُوسٌ
A Christian burial place; in some usage, a coffin or sarcophagus.
The evidence records both the funerary-place sense and a related use for a container or stone sarcophagus; the word may be a loanword rather than a native derivative of the root.
- Lane · entry 44757
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The etymology of نَاسٌ is disputed, with sources deriving it from نوس, أُنَاسٌ or إِنْسَانٌ, and also recording a proposed relation to نسي.
The scope of نَاسٌ in 114:6 is interpretively disputed; the possible inclusion of jinn is specific to that Quranic discussion and should not be applied indiscriminately to the Quranic occurrences.