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ختب

Root entry · 3 derived lemmas

This root primarily relates to shortness or being stunted, and also to a specific stage of female development before puberty. It appears to be a quadriliteral root with some discussion on its linguistic classification.

Derived headwords

الخُنْتَبnoun
  1. 1.
    short personboth

    A person who is short in stature.

خُنْتَبnoun
  1. 1.
    pre-pubescent girlclassical

    A young female before she has reached puberty or undergone menstruation.

خُنْتَبnoun
  1. 1.
    effeminate manclassical

    A man who is effeminate or exhibits feminine characteristics.

Parallel reading

فَأَدْرَكَ الأَعْثَى الدُثُورَ الخُنْتَبَا
And Al-A'tha reached the ancient, short one.
يَشُدُّ شَدًّا، ذَا نَجَاءٍ، مَلْهَبَا
He pulls with a strong pull, possessing speed, igniting.
وَإِنَّمَا أَثْبَتَ الخُنْتَبَ هَاهُنَا، وَإِنْ كَانَتِ النُّونُ لَا تُزَادُ ثَانِيَةً إِلَّا بِثَبَتٍ
And I only established Al-Khunțab here, even though the second 'nun' is not added except with certainty.
لِأَنَّ سِيبَوَيْهِ رَفَعَ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي الْكَلَامِ فَعْلَلٌ، وَهُوَ عَلَى مَذْهَبِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ رُبَاعِيٌّ
Because Sibawayh considered that 'fa'lal' exists in the language, and according to Abu Al-Hasan, it is quadriliteral.
لِأَنَّ النُّونَ لَا تُزَادُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِثَبَتٍ، وَفَعْلَلٌ عِنْدَهُ مَوْجُودٌ كَجَحْدَبٍ وَنَحْوِهِ
Because the 'nun' is not added with him except with certainty, and 'fa'lal' exists with him, like 'jaḥdab' and its like.
وَذَكَرَهُ الْأَزْهَرِيُّ فِي الرُّبَاعِيِّ
And Al-Azhari mentioned it among the quadriliterals.
الخُنْتَبُ وَالخُنْتَبُ: نَوْفُ الْجَارِيَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُخْفِضَ
Al-Khunțab and Al-Khunțab: the young girl before she menstruates.
وَالخُنْتَبُ الْمُخَنَّثُ أَيْضًا
And Al-Khunțab also means the effeminate one.