يثرب

Arabic

Etymology 1

Uncertain, most likely of Ancient North Arabian origin; from his extensive stay in Northwest Arabia, it is listed in the Nabonidus Chronicle (approx. 6th century B.C.E) as Neo-Babylonian 𒅀𒀜𒊑𒁍 (ia-at-ri-bu /⁠Iatribu⁠/) among several other familiar and connected city names like تَيْمَاء (taymāʔ, “Tayma”), دَادَان (dādān, “Dedan”), and خَيْبَر (ḵaybar, “Khaybar”). It is also attested in Minaean 𐩺𐩻𐩧𐩨 (yṯrb) and later in Sabaean 𐩺𐩻𐩧𐩨 (yṯrb) in the Abraha period, multiple forms exist in Greek, Koine Greek λαθριππα (lathrippa) by Ptolemy, Byzantine Greek ιαθριππα (iathrippa) by Stephanus Byzantinus, as well as an undated Nabataean inscription.

The Arabs natively connect it to the root ث ر ب (ṯ-r-b) meaning to complain or accuse, to speak contemptuously, to blame or reproach, to punish or mete out justice, often with a folk attribution to a certain individual's name. Tradition has it that the negative connotations with this root was one of the impetus behind its later change to alternative appellations. The term مَدِينَة (madīna, “Madinah”) is likely borrowed from the Jewish population, meaning a city or province, originally a jurisdiction or place of justice, which was likely just a by-name by its city-going inhabitants, but can possibly also invoke a remnant of the sense "to mete out justice or punishment".

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jaθ.rib/

Proper noun

يَثْرِب • (yaṯrib) f

1. (historical) Yathrib/Yethrib (former name of Medina)

   Synonyms: المَدِينَة (al-madīna), المَدِينَة المُنَوَّرَة (al-madīna(t) al-munawwara), مَدِينَة الرَّسُول (madīna(t) ar-rasūl)

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 33:13:

     وَإِذْ قَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ يَا أَهْلَ يَثْرِبَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمْ فَارْجِعُوا وَيَسْتَأْذِنُ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمُ النَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَة وَمَا هِيَ بعَوْرَةٍ إِنْ يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارًا

     Abdulala Maududi: And when a section of them said: “(O people of Yathrib), now there is no place for you to stay, so turn back.” (And call to mind) when a section of them was seeking permission from the Prophet to leave, saying: “Our houses are exposed (to attack),” although they were not exposed (to attack); they only wished to flee (from the battle-front).

Declension

Declension of noun يَثْرِب (yaṯrib)

Singular	basic singular diptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	—	يَثْرِب yaṯrib	—
Nominative	—	يَثْرِبُ yaṯribu	—
Accusative	—	يَثْرِبَ yaṯriba	—
Genitive	—	يَثْرِبَ yaṯriba	—

Etymology 2

Verb

يَثْرِبُ • (yaṯribu) (form I)

1. third-person masculine singular non-past active indicative of ثَرَبَ (ṯaraba, “to blame someone for guilt”)

Verb

يَثْرُبَ • (yaṯruba) (form I)

1. third-person masculine singular non-past active subjunctive of ثَرَبَ (ṯaraba)

Verb

تَثْرِبْ • (taṯrib) (form I)

1. third-person masculine singular non-past active jussive of ثَرَبَ (ṯaraba)

Verb

يُثْرَبُ • (yuṯrabu) (form I)

1. third-person masculine singular non-past passive indicative of ثَرَبَ (ṯaraba)

Verb

يُثْرَبَ • (yuṯraba) (form I)

1. third-person masculine singular non-past passive subjunctive of ثَرَبَ (ṯaraba)

Verb

يُثْرَبْ • (yuṯrab) (form I)

1. third-person masculine singular non-past passive jussive of ثَرَبَ (ṯaraba)