سيف

Arabic

Etymology

Related to Greek ξίφος; either a loan, or from a common original source. The same word is probably preserved in Egyptian sf.t. Dümichen (1867) suggested an Old Semitic saif or sef, Myres (1930) a possible Libyan or "Sea Peoples" word.

Pronunciation 1

• IPA: /sejf/

Noun

سَيْف‎ • (sayf) m, plurals سيوف (suyūf)‎, اسياف (’asyāf)‎ or اسيف (’ásyuf)‎

1. sword, sabre, foil, rapier, scimitar
2. swordfish

Descendants

• Amharic ሰይፍ (säyf).
• English: seif, Saiph
• Hebrew: סַיִף (sayif)
• Maltese: sejf
• Ottoman Turkish: سیف (seyf)
  • Turkish: seyf
• Persian: سیف (seyf)
• Tajik: сайф (sayf)

Pronunciation 2

• IPA: /siːf/

Noun

سِيف‎ • (sīf) m, plural اسياف (’asyāf)‎

1. coast
2. riverbank
3. shore

Related terms

• سياف
• مسايفة

References

• Johannes Dümichen, Historische Inschriften altägyptischer Denkmäler vol. 1, Leipzig (1867), 26-27.
• John Linton Myres, Who were the Greeks?, University of California Press, 1930, p. 590