Quranic root
زيغ
z · y · gh
The root denotes inclination or turning away from a straight course.
Its central notion of physical leaning develops into deviation from a direction or truth, the turning of sight, and causatively the turning of hearts. Other derived usages preserve related ideas of mutual inclination or are separately reported lexical alternants.
- Maqāyīs · row 2331
- Mufradāt · row 638
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 4
- Quran senses
- 9
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
زَاغَ
zāgha
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To decline, deviate, swerve, or turn aside from a right course, direction, or the truth.
Quranic usage includes departure from right guidance or a commanded course, including the deviation of hearts.
- Lane · entry 31992
- Mufradāt · row 638
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:117word 17
“deviated”
Quran 34:12word 20
“deviated”
Of the eyes or sight, to become dim or confused, or to turn aside from its proper orientation.
The Quranic sight-related usage is associated with fear or confusion and is explained either as dimming of the eyes or as their turning aside.
- Lane · entry 31992
- Mufradāt · row 638
Selected Quran examples
أَزَاغَ
ʾazāgha
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- 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.
To cause someone or something to decline, deviate, or turn aside from the right way; to turn hearts away from right guidance or acceptance of truth.
A causative construction. Quranic usage includes asking that hearts not be made to deviate, describing hearts as turned away after prior deviation, and the related expression of making someone fall into deviation.
- Lane · entry 31994
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:8word 3
“deviate”
Quran 61:5word 16
“(was caused to) deviate”
زَيْغ
zaygh
- Part of speech
- 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.
Deviation from straightness or truth; inward doubt or perversity.
In the Quranic nominal use, it describes an inward condition of deviation, especially in the heart.
- Lane · entry 31992
- Mufradāt · row 638
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:7word 18
“(is) perversity”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 3:7زَيْغٌۭ(is) perversity
- 3:8تُزِغْdeviate
- 9:117يَزِيغُdeviated
- 33:10زَاغَتِgrew wild
- 34:12يَزِغْdeviated
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 6 Classical meanings
زَاغَ
Of the sun, to decline from the meridian so that the shade turns from one side to the other.
A physical-direction usage distinct from deviation from truth or guidance.
- Lane · entry 31992
زَيَّغَ
To rectify or correct another person's deviation; to set someone right.
Form II, with another person as the object of the corrective action.
- Lane · entry 31993
تَزَيَّغَ
To adorn oneself and display one's finery, bodily beauty, or apparel to others.
A Form V usage; the reported example describes display to men or strangers and notes غ as a substitute for ن.
- Lane · entry 31995
تَزَايُغٌ
Mutual inclining toward one another.
A specialized application to teeth leaning toward one another is attributed to some authorities.
- Lane · entry 31996
زَاغٌ
A small rook or crow-like bird, traditionally described as non-carrion-eating and edible.
The species descriptions vary, and the word is reported as possibly Persian or arabicized; its plural is زِيغَانٌ.
- Lane · entry 31997
زَائِغٌ
A person or thing that declines, deviates, swerves, or turns aside.
A plural زَاغَةٌ is reported for a group of such people, especially men, equivalent to زَائِغُونَ.
- Lane · entry 31998
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The eye and sight branch has two reported interpretations in the evidence—dimming or confusion under fear, and turning aside—so they are presented as one lexical branch rather than as separate senses.
The historical Quran citation notation attached to the nominal discussion is not converted into a modern verse location; the displayed modern example is the independently supplied QAC occurrence at 3:7:18.