بءبء

Root entry · 22 derived lemmas

This root primarily relates to expressions of endearment and affection, particularly the phrase 'my father be your ransom.' It extends to terms for a child calling their father 'father,' and also encompasses words for the core or essence of something, and a specific term for the eyeball.

Derived headwords

البأبأةnoun

1.
saying 'my father be your ransom'classical
The act of a person saying to their companion: 'بأبي أنت' (my father be your ransom), meaning 'I sacrifice my father for you.'

بأبأهverb

1.
to say 'my father be your ransom'classical
To say to someone: 'بأبي أنت' (my father be your ransom).

بأبأverb

1.
to say 'my father be your ransom'classical
To say to someone: 'بأبي أنت' (my father be your ransom).

بأبأتُverb

1.
I said 'my father be your ransom'classical
The first-person singular past tense of the verb derived from saying 'بأبي أنت' (my father be your ransom).

بئباءnoun

1.
saying 'my father be your ransom'classical
The verbal noun (masdar) of the verb derived from saying 'بأبي أنت' (my father be your ransom).

البأبnoun

1.
endearmentclassical
A term derived from the expression 'بأبي أنت', functioning as a verb form similar to 'سلس' (to be easy) and 'قلق' (to be restless).

وا بأبا أنتphrase

1.
O my father!classical
An expression used by some Arabs, meaning 'O my father!', similar to 'يا ويلتا' (woe is me) or 'يا أبتا' (O my father).

يا بيباphrase

1.
O my father!classical
A variant pronunciation of 'يا بأبا' (O my father), where the hamza is changed to a yaa'.

باباnoun

1.
fatherboth
A term used by a child to address their father.

بأبأ الصبي أبوهverb

1.
his father said 'father' to the childclassical
The father said 'بابا' (father) to his child.

بأبأ الصبيverb

1.
the child said 'father'classical
The child said 'بابا' (father).

بئباءnoun

1.
saying 'father'classical
The verbal noun (masdar) of the verb meaning to say 'بابا' (father) to a child.

الفعلةnoun

1.
pattern of الفعللةclassical
A metrical pattern for a four-letter verb, as discussed in relation to the masdar 'بأبأة'.

البؤبؤnoun

1.
core, essenceboth
The origin, root, or essence of something; the noble or base origin.
2.
eyeballboth
The pupil of the eye, or the eye itself.
3.
center of somethingclassical
The middle or central part of an object.
4.
leader, distinguished personclassical
A distinguished, witty, or light-hearted leader or gentleman.
5.
body of a locustclassical
The main body of a locust, excluding its head and legs.
6.
learned personclassical
A learned or knowledgeable person.

ضؤضؤnoun

1.
origin, essenceclassical
Similar to 'بؤبؤ', referring to the origin or essence of something.

سؤسؤnoun

1.
origin, essenceclassical
Similar to 'بؤبؤ', referring to the origin or essence of something.

البؤيبيهnoun

1.
delicate personclassical
A term referring to a delicate or refined person, possibly related to 'بؤبؤ'.

رأس المكحلةnoun

1.
head of the kohl containerclassical
The top part of a kohl applicator or container.

تبأبأverb

1.
to run fastclassical
To run quickly or hasten.

تبأبؤاnoun

1.
running fastclassical
The verbal noun (masdar) for running quickly.

بأبأ الرجلverb

1.
the man hurriedclassical
The man hastened or moved quickly.

البأباءnoun

1.
hissing at a catclassical
A sound or call used to drive away a cat.

Parallel reading

البأبأة: قول الإنسان لصاحبه: بأبي أنت، ومعناه: أفديك بأبي

Al-Ba'ba'ah: A person saying to their companion: 'My father be your ransom,' meaning: 'I sacrifice my father for you.'

فإذا اشتققت منه فعلا اشتقاقا صوتيا استحال ذلك التقدير، فقلت: بأبأتُ بئباء

And when you derive a verb from it phonetically, that estimation changes, so you say: 'I said 'ba'ba'a' with a 'bi'ba''.

فالباء الآن في لفظ الأصل، وإن كان قد علم أنها فيما اشتقت منه زائدة للجر

So the 'ba' is now in the original pronunciation, even though it was known to be an extra preposition for the genitive case in what it was derived from.

يا بأبي أنت ويا فوق البأب

O my father, and O you above Al-Ba'b.

وصاحب ذي غمرة داجيته بأبأته وإن أبي فديته حتى أتي الحي وما آذيته

And I accompanied one of deep darkness, I called to him with endearment, and if he refused, I ransomed him, until we reached the tribe and I did not harm him.

ومن العرب من يقول: وا بأبا أنت، جعلوها كلمة مبنية على هذا التأسيس

And among the Arabs, some say: 'Wa ba'ba' anta,' making it a word built upon this foundation.

فقلبت الياء ألفا، وكذلك يا أبتا، معناه يا أبتي

So the 'ya' was turned into an 'alif', and likewise 'Ya abta,' meaning 'O my father.'

وبأبأته، أيضا، وبأبأت به: قلت له: بابا

And 'ba'ba'ah-tu-hu,' also, and 'ba'ba'a-tu bi-hi': I said to him: 'Baba' (father).

وقالوا: بأبأ الصبي أبوه إذا قال له بابا

And they said: 'His father said 'ba'ba' to the child' when he said 'Baba' to him.

فما مثال البأبأة عندك الآن؟ أتزنها على لفظها في الأصل فتقول: مثالها البقبقة، مثل الصلصلة (والقلقلة)

So what is the pattern of 'al-ba'ba'ah' for you now? Do you weigh it by its original pronunciation and say: its pattern is 'al-baqbaqah,' like 'al-salsalah' (and 'al-qalaqalah')?

بل أزنها على ما صارت إليه، وأترك ما كانت قبل عليه، فأقول: الفعللة

Rather, I weigh it by what it has become, and I leave what it was before, so I say: 'al-fa'lalah'.

لا نظير له في كلام العرب إلا جؤجؤ ودؤدؤ ولؤلؤ، لا خامس لها

It has no parallel in the speech of the Arabs except 'ju'ju',' 'du'du',' and 'lu'lu',' with no fifth one.

في بؤبؤ المجد وبحبوح الكرم

In the core of glory and the heart of generosity.

وهو أعز علي من بؤبؤ عيني

And he is dearer to me than the pupil of my eye.

تبأبأ: عدا

Tabab'a': To run.

بأبأ الرجل: أسرع

Ba'ba'a the man: He hurried.

والبأباء: زجر السنور

And Al-Ba'ba': Hissing at a cat.