جزيرة

See also: جزیره‎ and جزیرہ‎

Arabic

Etymology

Of the root ج ز ر‎ (j-z-r). Likely an Aramaic topographic term, to be identified with Jewish Babylonian Aramaic גזרתא‎ (“a heap or slab of wood or stone”) and Classical Syriac ܓܙܺܝܪܬܴ݁ܐ‎ (gəzīrtā, “a heap or slab of wood or stone; merlon; door-ring, specifically Mesopotamia”), with the specific meaning of “island” but attested as Classical Syriac ܓܳܙܰܪܬܴ݁ܐ‎ (gāzartā) and Old Armenian կղզի (kłzi) and Old Georgian კუნძული (ḳunʒuli); potentially reinterpreted from the Sumerian source of جِسْر‎ (jisr, “(wooden) bridge”), though Semitic root derivation is superficially very plausible—from this root ج ز ر‎ (j-z-r) / ג־ז־ר‎ / ܓ-ܙ-ܪ‎ (ɡ-z-r) related to “cutting, cheffing” one hardly has obtained the meaning of “an island” or “a major separated region” directly but rather by means of transferral from “smaller” meanings.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒa.ziː.ra/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

جَزِيرَة • (jazīra) f (plural جَزَائِر‎ (jazāʔir) or جُزُر‎ (juzur))

1. island
2. peninsula
3. area, region, territory, section, district; any separated location, especially one delimited by natural boundaries

Declension

Declension of noun جَزِيرَة (jazīra)

Singular	singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جَزِيرَة jazīra	الْجَزِيرَة‎ al-jazīra	جَزِيرَة jazīrat
Nominative	جَزِيرَةٌ jazīratun	الْجَزِيرَةُ‎ al-jazīratu	جَزِيرَةُ jazīratu
Accusative	جَزِيرَةً jazīratan	الْجَزِيرَةَ‎ al-jazīrata	جَزِيرَةَ jazīrata
Genitive	جَزِيرَةٍ jazīratin	الْجَزِيرَةِ‎ al-jazīrati	جَزِيرَةِ jazīrati
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جَزِيرَتَيْن‎ jazīratayn	الْجَزِيرَتَيْن‎ al-jazīratayn	جَزِيرَتَيْ‎ jazīratay
Nominative	جَزِيرَتَانِ‎ jazīratāni	الْجَزِيرَتَانِ‎ al-jazīratāni	جَزِيرَتَا‎ jazīratā
Accusative	جَزِيرَتَيْنِ‎ jazīratayni	الْجَزِيرَتَيْنِ‎ al-jazīratayni	جَزِيرَتَيْ‎ jazīratay
Genitive	جَزِيرَتَيْنِ‎ jazīratayni	الْجَزِيرَتَيْنِ‎ al-jazīratayni	جَزِيرَتَيْ‎ jazīratay
Plural	basic broken plural diptote‎; basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جَزَائِر‎‎; جُزُر‎ jazāʔir‎; juzur	الْجَزَائِر‎‎; الْجُزُر‎ al-jazāʔir‎; al-juzur	جَزَائِر‎‎; جُزُر‎ jazāʔir‎; juzur
Nominative	جَزَائِرُ‎‎; جُزُرٌ‎ jazāʔiru‎; juzurun	الْجَزَائِرُ‎‎; الْجُزُرُ‎ al-jazāʔiru‎; al-juzuru	جَزَائِرُ‎‎; جُزُرُ‎ jazāʔiru‎; juzuru
Accusative	جَزَائِرَ‎‎; جُزُرًا‎ jazāʔira‎; juzuran	الْجَزَائِرَ‎‎; الْجُزُرَ‎ al-jazāʔira‎; al-juzura	جَزَائِرَ‎‎; جُزُرَ‎ jazāʔira‎; juzura
Genitive	جَزَائِرَ‎‎; جُزُرٍ‎ jazāʔira‎; juzurin	الْجَزَائِرِ‎‎; الْجُزُرِ‎ al-jazāʔiri‎; al-juzuri	جَزَائِرِ‎‎; جُزُرِ‎ jazāʔiri‎; juzuri

Derived terms

• الْجَزَائِر الْخَالِدَات‎ (al-jazāʔir al-ḵālidāt)
• الْجَزَائِر‎ (al-jazāʔir)
• الْجَزِيرَة‎ (al-jazīra)
• جَزِيرَة الْأَمَان‎ (jazīrat al-ʔamān)
• جَزِيرَة الْخَضْرَاء‎ (jazīrat al-ḵaḍrāʔ)
• جَزِيرَة الْعَرَب‎ (jazīrat al-ʕarab)
• شِبْه جَزِيرَة‎ (šibh jazīra)

 

Related terms

• جَزَرِيّ‎ (jazariyy)
• جَزَائِرِيّ‎ (jazāʔiriyy)
• جَزْأَرَة‎ (jazʔara)

Descendants

• Maltese: gżira, ġżira
• → Indonesian: jazirah
• → Ottoman Turkish: جزیره‎ (cezîre)
  • > Turkish: cezire (inherited)
• → Portuguese: lezíria
• → Persian: جزیره‎ (jazire)
  • → Hindustani:

    Hindi: जज़ीरा (jazīrā)

    Urdu: جَزِیرَہ‎ (jazīra)

• → Sicilian: gisira

Further reading

• “gzrh”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Brockelmann, Carl (1928) Lexicon Syriacum (in Latin), 2nd edition, Halle: Max Niemeyer, published 1995, pages 112b–113a

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic جَزِيرَة‎ (jazīra).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒaˈziːra/.

Noun

جزيرة • (jazīra) f (plural جزر‎ (juzur))

1. island
2. isle

Derived terms

• شبه جزيرة‎ (šibh jazīra, “peninsula”)

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic جَزِيرَة‎ (jazīra).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒa.ziː.re/, [ʒaˈziː.re]
• IPA^(key): /ʒa.ziː.ra/, [ʒaˈziː.ra]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Noun

جزيرة • (jazīre) f (plural جزر‎ (juzor) or جزائر‎ (jazāʔer))

1. island