رتب

رُتْبَةٌ ذ A single step of stairs or of a ladder; (MA;) [and so ↓ مَرْتَبَةٌ, as appears from what follows:] pl. of the former رُتَبٌ (MA) [and رُتَبَاتٌ, for Az says that] رُتْبَةٌ signifies one of the رُتَبَات of stairs: (T:) [the pl. of مَرْتَبَةٌ is مَرَاتِبُ.] You say, رَقِىَ فِى رُتَبِ الدَّرَجِ and ↓ مَرَاتِبِهَا [ He ascended the steps of the stairs ]. (A.) ― -b2- [Hence,] also, (S, M, A, * Msb, K,) and ↓ مَرْتَبَةٌ, (T, S, M, A, K, TA,) [or] from رَتَبَ signifying “ he stood erect, ” (TA,) (tropical:) A station, or standing; a post of honour; rank; condition; degree; dignity; or office; (T, S, M, A, Msb, K, TA;) with, or at the courts of, kings; and the like: (T, TA:) or a high station, &c.: (TA:) pl. of the former رُتَبٌ; (A, * Msb, TA;) and of the latter ↓ مَرَاتِبُ. (A, TA.) You say, هُوَ فِى أَعْلَى الرُّتَبِ (tropical:) [ He is in the highest of stations, &c.]: and عِنْدَ ↓ لَهُ مَرْتَبَةٌ السُّلْطَانِ (tropical:) [ He has a station, &c., or high station, &c., with, or at the court of, the Sultán ]: and ↓ هُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ المَرَاتِبِ (tropical:) [ He is of the people of high stations, &c.]. (A, TA.) ― -b3- [رُتْبَةٌ also signifies The order of the proper relative places of things; as, for instance, of the words in a sentence.] ― -b4- See also the pl. رُتَبٌ in the next preceding paragraph.