Quranic root
سطح
s · ṭ · ḥ
The root expresses spreading, extending, and forming an extended upper surface.
From the basic act of spreading or extending, the root develops terms for a surface or roof, lying spread out, flat structures, places and implements used for spreading or supporting things, and plants that spread along the ground.
- Maqāyīs · row 2417
- Mufradāt · row 690
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- 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.
سَطَحَ
saṭaḥa
- 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 be spread out into an extended, level surface.
In the Quranic passive construction, said of the earth: it is spread out or laid level.
- Lane · entry 41074
- Mufradāt · row 690
Selected Quran examples
Quran 88:20word 4
“it is spread out”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 88:20سُطِحَتْit is spread out
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 20 Classical meanings
سَطَحَ
To spread or lay something out, or to make its surface flat and even; for example, to spread dates for drying, spread crumbled bread in a bowl, or make a roof or grave-top flat.
Transitive Classical uses covering material spread out for drying or serving and surfaces deliberately made level.
- Lane · entry 41074
سَطَحَ
To throw someone down so that he lies extended on his back or side, or to make a she-camel lie on its breast.
A transitive use describing the resulting position of a person or animal.
- Lane · entry 41074
سَطَحَ
To send a lamb or kid along with its mother.
A specialized Classical use referring to a young sheep or goat.
- Lane · entry 41074
اِنْسَطَحَ
To become spread out, extended, or expanded.
Intransitive use describing the subject as becoming extended or spread.
- Lane · entry 41077
اِنْسَطَحَ
To become extended and lie helplessly on the back or spread upon the ground.
Said especially of a person immobilized by prolonged illness or crippling.
- Lane · entry 41077
سَطِيحٌ
Spread or extended; specifically, lying spread out on the back or ground, including one helpless from prolonged illness or crippling, one born too weak to stand, or one slain and lying on the ground.
An adjectival description of a person or other being in an extended, helpless, or slain state.
- Lane · entry 41079
سَطْحٌ
The uppermost part or surface of a house, chamber, or anything; especially a flat roof.
The noun may refer generally to an upper surface or specifically to a flat roof.
- Lane · entry 41078
سَطْحٌ
In geometry, a plane: a surface extending in length and breadth and bounded by a line or lines.
Technical geometrical usage.
- Lane · entry 41078
سَطِيحَةٌ
A leathern water vessel or waterskin made from two skins placed opposite each other.
A small or large water container, with the مزادة properly so called described as larger.
- Lane · entry 41080
سُطَّاحٌ
A low, spreading plant that grows on level or soft ground and spreads along the ground.
The term may refer to a particular plant or, more generally, to a plant that spreads without growing tall.
- Lane · entry 41081
مَسْطَحٌ
An even or level place on which dates are spread and dried; a date-drying floor.
The place noun may denote the area where the dates are laid out.
- Lane · entry 41082
مَسْطَحٌ
In the plural مَسَاطِحُ, land bare or destitute of pasture, likened to flat-topped houses.
A conventional descriptive expression for barren land.
- Lane · entry 41082
مِسْطَحٌ
A rolling pin or similar implement used to spread bread or dough.
An instrument named for its spreading function.
- Lane · entry 41083
مِسْطَحٌ
A pole or transverse wooden support used in a tent framework or for supporting grapevines.
The term covers the tent pole and the crosspiece laid across vine supports.
- Lane · entry 41083
مِسْطَحٌ
A smooth, broad slab of rock or hard stone bordered so that water collects in it, including a slab at a well from which camels are watered.
A natural or prepared water-collecting basin.
- Lane · entry 41083
مِسْطَحٌ
A mat woven from palm leaves.
A woven article made from خوص or طُفْى leaves of the doum palm.
- Lane · entry 41083
مِسْطَحٌ
A large roasting pan in which wheat is roasted.
A cooking vessel, specifically a broad pan for roasting grain.
- Lane · entry 41083
مِسْطَحٌ
A travelling mug or drinking vessel with one flat side.
A portable vessel resembling a مطهرة and not four-sided.
- Lane · entry 41083
مُسَطَّحٌ
Flat or planar; specifically, a roof made flat and even.
Opposed to a rounded or spherical form when used in the general adjectival sense.
- Lane · entry 41085
مُسَطَّحٌ
Having a nose that spreads very widely.
An anatomical adjectival use.
- Lane · entry 41085
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The single Quran token is the passive feminine perfect سُطِحَتْ; the public headword is normalized to the Form I perfect citation form سَطَحَ.
The Quranic sense is limited to the attested earth-spreading or leveling construction; the additional branches are broader Classical Arabic usages.