ز ه ر

Arabic

Etymology

Due to the restricted meaning, suspected to be loaned from the Aramaic root ז־ה־ר / ܙ-ܗ-ܪ (z-h-r) which is more generally used for “to shine, to glow”, as well as in the specific meaning of “to flourish”, and in Classical Syriac ܙܗܪܐ (zahrā) both “bright light”, “splendor” and “bright or fully-bloomed flower”, as opposed to the restricted Arabic زَهْر (zahr, “flowers”), which was thus probably the particular term borrowed from which other meanings were back-formed, not without acquaintance with or reminiscence, that is later influence, of the general meanings in the Aramaic root. This reminds also of more specific plant names like شَفَلَّح (šafallaḥ) and رَيْحَان (rayḥān) being borrowed from Aramaic roots expressing ideas of things opening themselves for emission.

Root

ز ه ر • (z-h-r)

1. related to flowers, blossoms (by extension) to flourish, to prosper

Derived terms

Verbs

• Form I: زَهَرَ (zahara, “to shine; to expand blossoms”)
  • Verbal noun: زُهُور (zuhūr)
  • Active participle: زَاهِر (zāhir)
  • Passive participle: مَزْهُور (mazhūr)
• Form II: زَهَّرَ (zahhara, “to make bloom”)
  • Verbal noun: تَزْهِير (tazhīr)
  • Active participle: مُزَهِّر (muzahhir)
  • Passive participle: مُزَهَّر (muzahhar)
• Form IV: أَزْهَرَ (ʔazhara, “to expand blossoms; to gleam”)
  • Verbal noun: إِزْهَار (ʔizhār)
  • Active participle: مُزْهِر (muzhir)
  • Passive participle: مُزْهَر (muzhar)
• Form VIII: اِزْدَهَرَ (izdahara, “to shine brightly; to blossom; to flourish”)
  • Verbal noun: اِزْدِهَار (izdihār)
  • Active participle: مُزْدَهِر (muzdahir)
  • Passive participle: مُزْدَهَر (muzdahar)

Nouns

• زَهْر m (zahr, “blossoms”)
• زُهْرَة f (zuhra, “splendor”)
• زَهْرِيَّة f (zahriyya, “vase”)
• مَزْهَرِيَّة f (mazhariyya, “vase”)
• زُهَرِيّ m (zuhariyy, “syphilis”)
• زَهَّار m (zahhār, “florist”)
• مِزْهَر m (mizhar, “a type of lute”); pl. مَزَاهِر (mazāhir)

Proper nouns

• زَهْرَاء f (zahrāʔ)
  • اَلزَّهْرَاء (az-zahrāʔ), a title of Fatima bint Muhammad
• زَهْرَة f (zahra)
• زُهَيْر m (zuhayr)

Adjectives

• زَهْرِيّ (zahriyy, “floral”)