Quranic root
خول
kh · w · l
The root centers on tending, attending to, and managing something or someone.
From the idea of a caretaker or shepherd who continually attends to what is entrusted to him, the root develops into meanings of managing dependents or property and of granting a person possessions or benefits to care for.
- Maqāyīs · row 1676
- Mufradāt · row 445
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 8
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
خَوَّلَ
khawwala
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- 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 bestow on someone; to grant or confer possession of something as a favor.
In the Quranic occurrences, the object is something granted to a person. The lexical discussion connects the grant with dependents or with possessions that require care and management.
- Lane · entry 20323
- Mufradāt · row 445
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:94word 10
“We bestowed (on) you”
Quran 39:8word 11
“He bestows on him”
Quran 39:49word 8
“We bestow (on) him”
خَال
khāl
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
Maternal uncle; one's mother's brother.
The Quranic group includes the plural أخوال and the inflected singular خالك.
- Lane · entry 20327
Selected Quran examples
Quran 24:61word 40
“(of) your maternal uncles”
Quran 33:50word 22
“(of) your maternal uncles”
خَالَة
khālah
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
Maternal aunt; one's mother's sister.
The Quranic group consists of the plural خالات in inflected forms.
- Lane · entry 20327
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:23word 7
“and your mother's sisters”
Quran 24:61word 43
“(of) your maternal aunts”
Quran 33:50word 24
“(of) your maternal aunts”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 4:23وَخَـٰلَـٰتُكُمْand your mother's sisters
- 6:94خَوَّلْنَـٰكُمْWe bestowed (on) you
- 24:61أَخْوَٰلِكُمْ(of) your maternal uncles
- 24:61خَـٰلَـٰتِكُمْ(of) your maternal aunts
- 33:50خَالِكَ(of) your maternal uncles
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 28 Classical meanings
خَالَ
To become possessed of dependents or attendants after having been alone.
A Form I verbal use concerning acquiring خَوَل or household dependents.
- Lane · entry 20322
خَالَ
To pasture, tend, and manage livestock or camels well.
Used with livestock or property under one's care.
- Lane · entry 20322
خَالَ
To rule or govern people.
A governing use with people as the object of management.
- Lane · entry 20322
أَخْوَلَ
To have maternal uncles, or to have many maternal uncles.
A Form IV use describing a person's maternal-uncle relations.
- Lane · entry 20324
أَخْوَلَ
To perceive in someone an indication or sign of good.
The perceived good is treated as an indication, symptom, mark, or token.
- Lane · entry 20324
تَخَوَّلَ
To attend to or visit someone or something repeatedly and keep it in good condition.
Used of repeated attention to people, admonition, land, or another object of care.
- Lane · entry 20325
اِسْتَخْوَلَ
To take people as slaves, servants, or other dependents.
The people are treated as خَوَل, including household dependents.
- Lane · entry 20326
اِسْتَخْوَلَ
To take or adopt someone as a maternal uncle, or to call him one's maternal uncle.
A conventional kinship-adoption use.
- Lane · entry 20326
اِسْتَخْوَلَ
To ask someone to lend livestock or camels.
A specialized livestock-lending construction.
- Lane · entry 20326
خَال
An owner of a horse.
Used in the expression أنا خال هذا الفرس, “I am the owner of this horse.”
- Lane · entry 20327
خَال
A manager, tender, keeper, or guardian of livestock, property, or affairs.
The use can refer to a good livestock manager, a pastor who tends people or animals, or one who puts a thing or affairs into good order.
- Lane · entry 20327
خَال
An indication, sign, mark, or token of good in a person.
A nominal sign or quality interpreted as evidence of good.
- Lane · entry 20327
خَال
A mole or dark mark resembling a pimple on the face or body.
An anatomical or bodily mark; its plural is خيلان.
- Lane · entry 20327
خَال
A military banner or standard.
The term denotes the army banner called لواء.
- Lane · entry 20327
خَال
A soft Yemeni garment or cloth with a red or brown ground and black lines or stripes.
A named type of برد fabric.
- Lane · entry 20327
خَال
A black stallion-camel.
A specialized animal term.
- Lane · entry 20327
خَوَل
Slaves, servants, cattle, and other dependents placed under a person's care or given to him.
Used as a collective or quasi-plural and sometimes for a single male or female dependent; one reported analysis relates it to خائل, “pastor.”
- Lane · entry 20328
خَوَل
A gift or gifts.
A nominal use preserved in the expression كثُر الخَوَل, “he has many gifts.”
- Lane · entry 20328
خَوَل
Pastors or caretakers.
A reported analysis of خَوَل as a plural or quasi-plural related to خائل, “pastor.”
- Lane · entry 20328
خَوَل
The lower part of the socket or head of an axe-bit.
A technical implement term attributed to one lexical authority.
- Lane · entry 20328
خَوْلَة
A female gazelle.
A zoological noun.
- Lane · entry 20329
خَوْلِيّ
A measurer of land using a measuring cane.
A professional designation.
- Lane · entry 20330
خُؤُولَة
The relationship of a maternal uncle or maternal aunt.
A kinship noun used in expressions describing the relationship between two people.
- Lane · entry 20333
خَوَّال
A giver of many gifts.
An agent noun describing a person characterized by generous giving.
- Lane · entry 20334
أَخْوَلَ
Scattered or dispersed, especially one after another like sparks flying from beaten iron.
The reduplicated expression أخول أخول describes scattering; some usage treats أخول itself as “sparks.”
- Lane · entry 20336
أَخْوَل
Prouder than another person.
Used in the comparative construction أخول من فلان.
- Lane · entry 20336
مُخْوَل
A man having maternal uncles, especially many maternal uncles.
A passive or resultant description of a man's maternal-uncle relations.
- Lane · entry 20339
لَمَخِيل
Naturally adapted or disposed to good.
Describes a person inclined by nature to be, do, produce, or bring about what is good.
- Lane · entry 20341
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The consonantal root has several unrelated or specialized Classical Arabic branches; only the three displayed forms and their listed senses are Quran-attested in this packet.