ربي

See also: رثي, and ربى

Arabic

Etymology 1

From the absolute state plural of Classical Syriac ܪܒܘܬܐ (rebbūṯā, “myriad”).

Noun

رِبِّيٌّ • (ribbiyyun) m (plural رِبِّيُّونَ (ribbiyyūna))

1. (hapax) many a man
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 3:146:

     وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ

     wa-kaʔayyin min nabiyyin qātala maʕahu ribbiyyūna kaṯīrun

     And how many a prophet and with him fought many many a man.

Etymology 2

Verb

رُبِّي • (rubbī) (form I) /rub.biː/

1. second-person feminine singular imperative of رَبَّ (rabba)

Etymology 3

Verb

رُبِيَ • (rubiya) (form I) /ru.bi.ja/

1. third-person masculine singular past passive of رَبَا (rabā)

Etymology 4

Verb

ربي (form II)

1. رُبِّيَ (rubbiya) /rub.bi.ja/: third-person masculine singular past passive of رَبَّى (rabbā)
2. رَبِّي (rabbī) /rab.biː/: second-person feminine singular imperative of رَبَّى (rabbā)

References

• Jeffery, Arthur (1938) The Foreign Vocabulary of the Qurʾān (Gaekwad’s Oriental Series; 79), Baroda: Oriental Institute, pages 138–139