Quranic root
رتع
r · t · ʿ
The root centers on expansive, unrestricted eating in conditions of abundance and fertility, especially grazing and consuming what one wishes.
The core sense of abundant feeding develops into animal pasturing, human indulgence, places and states of plenty, and derived expressions for causing or finding abundant pasture.
- Maqāyīs · row 1962
- Lane · entry 22384
- Lane · entry 22385
- 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.
رَتَعَ
rataʿa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To feed, graze, or eat and drink freely and abundantly.
In the Quranic occurrence, the verb has a human subject and may express abundant eating metaphorically, extending the basic image of an animal feeding freely amid plenty.
- Lane · entry 22384
- Mufradāt · row 527
To enjoy oneself, amuse oneself, or move about freely and cheerfully.
In يوسف 12:12, this interpretation occurs in the construction يَرْتَعْ وَيَلْعَبْ, where the verb expresses enjoyment or carefree activity alongside play.
- Lane · entry 22384
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:12word 4
“(to) enjoy”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 12:12يَرْتَعْ(to) enjoy
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 16 Classical meanings
رَتَعَ
To indulge freely in eating and drinking from another person's property, acting without restraint in such consumption.
A figurative construction with بِفِي مَالِ or equivalent wording, distinct from ordinary grazing or feeding.
- Lane · entry 22384
رَتَعَ
Figuratively, to go about or enter a place freely, as though taking unrestricted nourishment from pasture.
Used in idiomatic expressions for approaching a prohibited pasture and for entering a spiritually nourishing gathering by analogy with grazing.
- Lane · entry 22384
أَرْتَعَ
To put camels or other animals to pasture, leaving them to eat and drink at will.
This Form IV entry is also associated with an alternative reading discussed for the Yusuf passage; no separate Form IV QAC form group is supplied in the packet.
- Lane · entry 22385
أَرْتَعَ
To govern or manage subjects well, as though leaving them free to satisfy themselves in pasture.
A figurative extension of putting animals to pasture.
- Lane · entry 22385
أَرْتَعَ
Of a group of people, to come upon abundant herbage and pasture there.
Describes a party that encounters plentiful grazing and pastures.
- Lane · entry 22385
أَرْتَعَ
To produce abundant herbage, or, of land, to become rich in herbage.
The producing sense is used of rain; the becoming-abundant sense is used of land.
- Lane · entry 22385
رَتَعٌ
A plentiful, pleasant, and easy life.
A noun denoting a condition of material ease and abundance.
- Lane · entry 22386
رَتْعَةٌ
Abundance of herbage or of life's goods, conveniences, and comforts; a state of ampleness and plenty.
The noun may denote either fertile pasture or general material prosperity.
- Lane · entry 22388
رَتَّاعٌ
One who continually seeks successive places of pasture abundant in herbage for his camels.
An occupational or habitual description of a person moving between fertile grazing places.
- Lane · entry 22390
رَاتِعٌ
A camel or other beast pasturing at will and eating and drinking freely amid abundant herbage.
The participle is also applied in the plural to a people or group in قَوْمٌ رَاتِعُونَ.
- Lane · entry 22391
أَرْتَاعٌ
A multitude of people.
A plural nominal usage distinct from the pasture-related meanings.
- Lane · entry 22392
مَرْتَعٌ
A place of pasturing, or pasture itself.
A place where animals graze and consume what they wish amid abundance; the noun can also denote the pasture of a land.
- Lane · entry 22393
مُرْتِعٌ
One who leaves travelling camels to pasture at will, allowing them to eat and drink freely in abundant grazing.
A Form IV active participle describing the person responsible for leaving the animals to pasture.
- Lane · entry 22394
مُرْتِعٌ
Having or characterized by abundant herbage, goods, conveniences, or comforts.
Applied to a person, a people, or herbage when abundance is habitual or prevalent.
- Lane · entry 22394
مُرْتِعٌ
Of rain, producing or giving growth to abundant herbage suitable for grazing.
A participial description of rain by its effect on pasture.
- Lane · entry 22394
مُرْتِعٌ
Of land, providing grazing in which animals eagerly seek to satiate themselves.
Describes land attractive to animals because of its plentiful herbage.
- Lane · entry 22394
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The supplied QAC occurrence is the Form I imperfect يَرْتَعْ. The evidence also preserves a Form IV reading يُرْتِعْ associated with the Yusuf passage, but no separate QAC Form IV group is supplied; it is therefore retained under its own normalized headword أَرْتَعَ rather than merged into the Form I entry.
The Yusuf occurrence supports both an abundant-feeding interpretation and an enjoyment or carefree-activity interpretation; the supplied contextual gloss reflects the latter.