Quranic root
وحد
w · ḥ · d
A core of being single, separate, or without a counterpart.
The root develops from separation and solitude to numerical oneness, unity, uniqueness, and indivisibility; its derived forms extend these ideas to making one, uniting, and acting alone.
- Maqāyīs · row 5045
- Mufradāt · row 1559
- 4
- Quran-attested forms
- 5
- Quran senses
- 68
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
وَحِيد
waḥīd
- Part of speech
- Adjective / 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.
Solitary; alone and without companions.
An adjectival description of a person or other being existing apart from others.
- Lane · entry 45050
Selected Quran examples
Quran 74:11word 4
“alone”
وَحْد
waḥd
- Part of speech
- Noun · adverbial construction
- Quran occurrences
- 6 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.
Alone; by oneself; apart from others.
Especially used in the construction وَحْدَهُ and related prefixed or pronominal constructions to express that someone or something is alone or acts by itself.
- Lane · entry 45043
- Mufradāt · row 1559
Selected Quran examples
Quran 39:45word 4
“Alone”
Quran 17:46word 15
“Alone”
وَاحِد
wāḥid
- Part of speech
- Adjective / Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 30 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; a single unit, person, or thing; one in kind or species.
Used numerically and adjectivally for a single referent, a singular item rather than a plurality, or things belonging to one kind or species.
- Lane · entry 45051
- Mufradāt · row 1559
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:61word 8
“(of) one (kind)”
The One: indivisible, without equal, and not subject to multiplication.
A divine predicate expressing absolute unity and the absence of a counterpart or division.
- Lane · entry 45051
- Mufradāt · row 1559
Selected Quran examples
Quran 16:22word 3
“One”
وَاحِدَة
wāḥidah
- Part of speech
- Adjective / Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 31 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; a single feminine unit, person, or thing.
The feminine counterpart of وَاحِد; used for one or a single unit, including a single community, kind, or connected whole.
- Lane · entry 45051
- Mufradāt · row 1559
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:213word 4
“single”
Quran 4:3word 20
“then (marry) one”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:61وَٰحِدٍۢ(of) one (kind)
- 2:133وَٰحِدًۭاOne
- 2:163وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖone (only)
- 2:213وَٰحِدَةًۭsingle
- 4:1وَٰحِدَةٍۢsingle
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 27 Classical meanings
وَحَدَ
To be or become alone, by oneself, or apart from others.
Form I verb describing becoming solitary or remaining without company.
- Lane · entry 45036
وَحَّدَ
To make something one or call it one.
Form II causative use, including treating or designating something as a single unit.
- Lane · entry 45037
وَحَّدَ
To spend one night with one's wife.
A specialized construction extended by analogy to a single instance of a saying or action.
- Lane · entry 45037
وَحَّدَ
To declare God one and affirm belief in His unity.
Form II religious use; the associated verbal noun is تَوْحِيد.
- Lane · entry 45037
أَوْحَدَ
To make someone solitary or leave him alone.
Form IV causative use, including leaving someone alone among enemies or causing him to remain without others.
- Lane · entry 45038
أَوْحَدَ
To make someone unequalled or without an equal.
Causative use describing the establishment of a person as having no counterpart.
- Lane · entry 45038
أَوْحَدَ
To single someone out by one's sight, seeing no one else.
A specialized Form IV construction meaning that the person singled out was the only one seen.
- Lane · entry 45038
أَوْحَدَ
Of a ewe, to bring forth one offspring only.
A specialized reproductive use; relatedly, of a woman, to give birth to an unequalled child.
- Lane · entry 45038
تَوَحَّدَ
To protect someone personally, without entrusting him to another.
Used in the construction تَوَحَّدَهُ بِعِصْمَتِهِ and related wording.
- Lane · entry 45039
تَوَحَّدَ
To be or become alone in an affair or opinion, without a partner or participant.
Form V use with an affair, decision, or opinion in which no one else shares.
- Lane · entry 45039
إِوْتَحَدَ / اِتَّحَدَ
To become one or unite with another.
Used of two or more things or substances becoming one, and of people becoming one in interests or other respects.
- Lane · entry 45040
حِدَةٌ
Of one's own accord; from one's own self, judgment, or decision.
Occurs in idiomatic expressions such as مِنْ ذَاتِ حِدَتِهِ.
- Lane · entry 45042
وَحْد
A wild animal that is alone or apart from others.
A lexical use for a solitary wild animal.
- Lane · entry 45043
وَحَد
A man whose lineage and origin are unknown.
A specialized nominal use, distinct from the ordinary meaning of being alone.
- Lane · entry 45043
وَحْد
In idioms, an unequalled or pre-eminent person; in certain reproachful expressions, one who does not mix or consult with others and is regarded as contemptible or weak.
Used in expressions such as نَسِيجُ وَحْدِهِ for praise and عُيَيْرُ وَحْدِهِ or جُحَيْشُ وَحْدِهِ for dispraise.
- Lane · entry 45043
وَحْدَة
Solitude; the state of being alone or apart from others.
Includes the expression وَحْدَةُ القَبْرِ, the solitude of the grave.
- Lane · entry 45046
وَحْدَة
The night of solitude, especially the first night after burial.
A conventional expression referring to the first night in the grave.
- Lane · entry 45046
وَحْدَانِيَّة
The unity of God.
An abstract noun for divine unity.
- Lane · entry 45047
وَحْدَانِيّ
Singular or separatist in religious opinion; one who separates from the general body of believers.
An intensive relational adjective derived from the notion of unity or separateness.
- Lane · entry 45048
وَاحِد
Unequalled, without a parallel or match; pre-eminent in a quality such as knowledge, courage, or excellence.
Applied to people or other beings in expressions of uniqueness or superiority, not merely numerical oneness.
- Lane · entry 45051
وَاحِد
The same or equivalent.
Used in expressions saying that two things, activities, or groups are one and the same.
- Lane · entry 45051
حَادِيَ عَشَرَ / حَادِيَةَ عَشْرَةَ
Eleventh.
A numeral formed by transposition from وَاحِد and وَاحِدَة.
- Lane · entry 45051
بِوَاحِدَة
Only; merely; at all.
The construction بِوَاحِدَةٍ can function as an equivalent of فَقَطْ or, emphatically, البَتَّةَ.
- Lane · entry 45051
مُوحِد
A ewe that brings forth one offspring only.
An active participial noun for the specialized reproductive use.
- Lane · entry 45055
مَوْحَدَ / وُحَادَ / أُحَادَ
One by one; one at a time; singly.
Used adverbially, commonly in repeated expressions such as دَخَلُوا مَوْحَدَ مَوْحَدَ.
- Lane · entry 45056
مُوَحَّدَة
Having one diacritical point; one-pointed.
A technical orthographic term, especially as applied to a letter such as باء to distinguish it from تاء, ثاء, or ياء.
- Lane · entry 45057
مِيحَاد
One of a group of separate or remote hills.
A specialized noun for an isolated hill; its plural is مَوَاحِيد.
- Lane · entry 45058
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
وَحْد is chiefly used in an adverbial construction meaning “alone/by oneself,” whereas وَحِيد is an adjectival description of a solitary being and وَاحِد/وَاحِدَة primarily express numerical or unitary oneness.
Classical descriptions distinguishing وَاحِد from أَحَد in divine usage vary in formulation; the divine sense here is limited to the supported notions of indivisibility, unity, and absence of an equal.