Quranic root
خفف
kh · f · f
The root centers on lightness as the opposite of heaviness and weight, extending to reduced burden, ease, quickness, diminished quantity, and mental or social levity.
The basic contrast of light versus heavy develops into physical and circumstantial lightness, rapid movement, alleviation, and the figurative states of being light-minded, insignificant, or readily influenced.
- Maqāyīs · row 1616
- Mufradāt · row 422
- 5
- Quran-attested forms
- 6
- Quran senses
- 17
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
خَفَّ
khaffa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To become light in weight or measure; of a balance, to have little weight, indicating a scant or lesser amount.
In the Quran, used of the scales or balances whose lightness signifies the lesser weight of good deeds.
- Lane · entry 19604
- Mufradāt · row 422
Selected Quran examples
Quran 23:103word 2
“(are) light”
Quran 7:9word 2
“(will be) light”
خَفَّفَ
khaffafa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- Quran occurrences
- 8 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 make something lighter; to lessen or alleviate a burden, hardship, punishment, or distress.
A causative use that includes reducing the severity or weight of what is imposed, including divine alleviation of a burden or punishment.
- Lane · entry 19605
- Mufradāt · row 422
Selected Quran examples
اِسْتَخَفَّ
āistakhaffa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form X
- Form
- X
- 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.
To find or deem a thing light or easy to carry or remove.
Used with a thing found manageable because of its lightness or ease of removal.
- Lane · entry 19609
Selected Quran examples
Quran 16:80word 13
“which you find light”
To cause a person or people to become light-minded, unsteady, or readily compliant; to sway or unsettle them.
A causative figurative use describing influence that induces levity, instability, prompt submission, or departure from sound judgment.
- Lane · entry 19609
- Mufradāt · row 422
Selected Quran examples
Quran 43:54word 1
“So he bluffed”
Quran 30:60word 7
“take you in light estimation”
تَخْفِيف
takhfīf
- Part of speech
- Verbal 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.
Lightening or alleviation; a concession that reduces a burden or obligation.
The verbal noun denotes an easing granted by reducing what is imposed.
- Lane · entry 19605
- Mufradāt · row 422
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:178word 27
“a concession”
خَفِيف
khafīf
- Part of speech
- Adjective / substantive use
- Quran occurrences
- 2 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.
Light, not heavy; lightly burdened or equipped.
May describe a physical load or a person or party going forth with little encumbrance; the Quranic group includes the plural substantive use خِفَافًا.
- Lane · entry 19614
- Mufradāt · row 422
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:189word 16
“light”
Quran 9:41word 2
“light”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:86يُخَفَّفُwill be lightened
- 2:162يُخَفَّفُwill be lightened
- 2:178تَخْفِيفٌۭa concession
- 3:88يُخَفَّفُwill be lightened
- 4:28يُخَفِّفَlighten
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 40 Classical meanings
خَفَّ
To press or bear lightly upon a surface.
Used of placing or bearing the body lightly upon the ground, especially in prostration.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To be light in estimation or account; to be little esteemed.
A figurative evaluative use, not a statement about physical weight.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To become brisk, prompt, obedient, or submissive in responding.
Used of prompt service or obedience; a reported sexual construction describes a female as submissive toward a male.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To hasten, or to depart quickly and leave a place clear of its inhabitants.
Used of hastening toward someone or an enemy, of people departing from their home, and of abodes becoming clear when people leave.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To become light-minded, fickle, inconstant, or unsteady.
A figurative description of deficient steadiness or judgment; it may also describe being flurried or levity in conduct.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To be quick, acute, sharp, clever, or ingenious.
Applied to intellect, understanding, or the quickness and acuity of hearing.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To become flurried, agitated, or excited.
The agitation may arise from fear, anger, impatience, or a similar emotion.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To be lighthearted, cheerful, and agreeable in company.
Used of a person whose presence or conversation is acceptable and cheering.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To become easy, alleviated, or less burdensome.
Applied to an affair, action, movement, or condition; this is an intransitive ease or alleviation rather than the Form II causative.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To be light or easy of utterance, or light to the ear.
Applied to a word or sound that is slight or easy to pronounce or hear.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To be light and easy to digest.
Used of food in relation to the stomach.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To become light, thin, or scanty in hair.
Applied to the hair of the head or beard.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To become few in number as crowding or density diminishes.
Used of a people or company whose numbers or crowding have decreased.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To diminish or decrease; of rain, to become deficient.
Applied to rain and similar quantities that lessen.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّ
To become slight, mild, or inconsiderable.
Applied to a blow, disease, affection of the mind, or similar condition.
- Lane · entry 19604
خَفَّفَ
To moderate, relax, or remit something rather than carrying it to its utmost extent.
Used of moderating an estimate, relaxing work, or reducing the severity of a demand; this is a broader Classical construction than the Quranic examples of alleviating burdens or punishment.
- Lane · entry 19605
أَخَفَّ
To make an arrow light by scraping or paring it.
A specialized making-light construction applied to an arrow.
- Lane · entry 19606
أَخَفَّ
To become unburdened or lightly encumbered, including having easy circumstances with little property or few dependents.
Applied to a person's travel or residence and, by extension, to the person's state or circumstances.
- Lane · entry 19606
أَخَفَّ
To have diminished or straitened circumstances.
A reported contrary use associated with the description of one's condition; the lexicographical evidence presents it alongside the lighter or easier sense.
- Lane · entry 19606
أَخَفَّ
Of beasts, to be light, active, agile, or brisk.
Used of people's riding or pack animals, or of people possessing such animals.
- Lane · entry 19606
تَخَفَّفَ
To lighten one's clothing or dress lightly.
The entry marks this usage as known chiefly from modern usage.
- Lane · entry 19607
تَخَفَّفَ
To put on or wear a boot.
Used with خُفّ or خِفَاف for wearing footwear.
- Lane · entry 19607
تَخَافَّ
To press or bear lightly upon something.
A reciprocal or intensive construction opposed to pressing heavily.
- Lane · entry 19608
اِسْتَخَفَّ
To hold a person, right, due, or claim in light estimation or contempt; to regard it as insignificant.
The construction استخفّ به is distinct from the Quranic causative use that sways or unsettles a person.
- Lane · entry 19609
خُفّ
A boot or other covering worn upon the foot.
The plural is خِفَافٌ or أَخْفَافٌ; the expression خُفَّا حُنَيْنٍ belongs to this sense.
- Lane · entry 19610
خُفّ
The foot or complete foot-pad of a camel, and sometimes of an ostrich.
Used for the part corresponding to a horse's hoof; the lexical gender is masculine.
- Lane · entry 19610
خُفّ
Camels collectively, by reference to their feet.
A synecdochical use contrasted with حافر for hoofed riding animals and ظلف for cloven-hoofed animals.
- Lane · entry 19610
خُفّ
An aged, weak, or, according to another report, bulky camel.
A specialized camel description with variant lexical explanations.
- Lane · entry 19610
خُفّ
The sole or ground-contacting part of a human foot.
A figurative extension from the camel's foot covering or foot-pad.
- Lane · entry 19610
خُفّ
A rugged tract or piece of ground, longer or rougher than a نعل.
A figurative terrain term derived from the foot-related sense.
- Lane · entry 19610
خِفّ
A small company or group consisting of few persons.
Used in the expression for going forth among a few companions.
- Lane · entry 19611
خِفَّة
Lightness, including figurative levity.
An abstract noun of خَفَّ used across its proper and figurative senses.
- Lane · entry 19612
خَفِيف
Quick, acute, clever, or ingenious.
A figurative adjective applied to intellect or understanding, distinct from physical lightness.
- Lane · entry 19614
خَفِيف
Hardy, strong, or sturdy, in a reported description of a boy.
A specialized and reported interpretation of the adjective.
- Lane · entry 19614
خَفِيف
Brisk, lively, active, agile, prompt, or quick.
Includes promptness toward a good action or service.
- Lane · entry 19614
خَفِيف
Light or easy of utterance, and light in sound to the ear.
Includes the grammatical term for a light-sounding nūn or tanwīn.
- Lane · entry 19614
خَفِيف
Light, thin, or scanty in hair.
Applied to the hair of the head, cheeks, or beard.
- Lane · entry 19614
خَفِيف
A specific Arabic poetic metre.
The technical metre whose feet are فَاعِلَاتُنْ مُسْتَفْعِلُنْ فَاعِلَاتُنْ in each hemistich.
- Lane · entry 19614
خَفَّاف
A maker or seller of boots.
A professional noun derived from خُفّ, boots.
- Lane · entry 19615
العَوْرَةُ المُخَفَّفَةُ
The part or parts of the body that are improper, though not grossly indecent, to expose.
A technical legal expression.
- Lane · entry 19617
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The packet declares 48 Lane primary source units but explicitly enumerates 49 unit_ids; the coverage ledger follows every explicitly supplied unit_id.
Lane's historical Quran citation notation has not been converted into modern verse locations; Quran examples use only independently supplied QAC locations.
The Form X Quran usage in 43:54 admits closely related interpretations involving induced prompt obedience, levity, and instability; these are represented together as one causative influence sense.