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محر

Root entry · 3 derived lemmas

This entry discusses the word 'al-maḥārah', primarily referring to a shelled creature or a shell. It also mentions its potential use for the inner ear, though this is less common. The etymology is debated, with some scholars linking it to a root involving 'returning' and others to the root 'm-ḥ-r'.

Derived headwords

اَلْمَحَارَةnoun
  1. 1.
    shelled creatureboth

    A creature that lives within a shell, such as a mollusk.

  2. 2.
    shellboth

    The hard outer covering of a mollusk or other shelled animal.

  3. 3.
    inner earclassical

    The innermost part of the ear, which contains the cochlea and semicircular canals. This usage is less common.

حَارَverb
  1. 1.
    to returnboth

    To come or go back to a place or person.

  2. 2.
    to revolveboth

    To move in a circular or curving course.

يَحُورُverb
  1. 1.
    he returnsboth

    The present tense form of the verb 'to return'.

  2. 2.
    he revolvesboth

    The present tense form of the verb 'to revolve'.

Parallel reading

المحارة دابة في الصدفين
Al-maḥārah is a creature in the shells.
ويسمى باطن الأذن محارة
And the inner ear is called maḥārah.
وربما قالوا لها» محارة بالدابة والصدفين
And perhaps they called it maḥārah with the creature and the shells.
المحارة الصدفة
Al-maḥārah is the shell.
ذكر الأصمعي وغيره هذا الحرف أعني المحارة في باب حار يحور
Al-Asma'i and others mentioned this word, meaning al-maḥārah, in the chapter of ḥāra yaḥūru (to return, to revolve).
فدل ذلك على أنه مفعلة وأن الميم ليست بأصلية
This indicated that it is a form of maf'alah and that the mim is not original.
وخالفهم الليث فوضع المحارة في باب محر
Al-Layth differed from them and placed al-maḥārah in the chapter of m-ḥ-r.
ولا نعرف محر في شيء من كلام العرب
And we do not know of m-ḥ-r in any of the speech of the Arabs.