نلنج

Root entry · 2 derived lemmas

This root appears to refer to a specific substance used in traditional tattooing, likely a type of soot or fat smoke. It is described as a dark, unblemished substance that helps tattoo ink appear green.

Derived headwords

النيلنجnoun

1.
fat smoke for tattooingclassical
A substance, described as the smoke of fat, used to treat tattoos so that they appear green. It is noted as being of Persian origin.

نينلجnoun

1.
fat smoke for tattooingclassical
An alternative spelling or pronunciation of النيلنج, referring to the smoke of fat used in tattooing to achieve a green hue. This form is attributed to Ibn al-A'rabi.

Parallel reading

النيلنج، بكسر أوله وسكون التحتية والنون الثانية، وفتح اللام، هاكذا هو مضبوط على الصواب

Al-Nīlanj, with a kasra on the first letter, sukoon on the second letter (ya'), and the second noon, and a fatha on the lam, this is how it is correctly vocalized.

وفي نسخ اللسان: نينلج، بتحتية بين نونين

And in the copies of Al-Lisān: Nīnlij, with a ya' between two nuns.

قال: حكاه ابن الأعرابي، ولم يفسره

He said: Ibn al-A'rabi narrated it, but did not explain it.

وأنشد: جاءت به من استها سفنجا سوداء لم تخطط لها نينيلجا

And he recited: She brought it from her anus, a black sponge, to which no nīnlij was applied.

وهو (دخان الشحم يعالج به الوشم ليخضر)

And it is (the smoke of fat with which tattoos are treated so that they become green).

قلت: وهو معرب.

I say: And it is a loanword.