جفن

See also: خفن

Arabic

Etymology

Cognate to Hebrew גֶּפֶן (gép̄en, “vine”), Classical Syriac ܓܦܢܬܐ‏ (gəp̄entā, “vine”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒafn/

Noun

جَفْن • (jafn) m (plural جُفُون (jufūn) or أَجْفَان (ʔajfān))

1. eyelid
2. (archaic) vat, tub
3. (archaic) vine, grapevine
4. (archaic) enceinte, close, buildings of fortification surrounding an area
   • 1355, Ibn Baṭṭūṭa ed. Charles Defrémery et Beniamino Sanguinetti, Vol. IV, p. 351 l. 6–7

     وممّا شاع من أفعال مولانا أيده الله في الجهاد إنشاؤه الأجفان بجميع السواحل واستكثاره من عُدَد البحر وهذا في زمان الصلح والمُهادنة إعْدادًا لأيّام القِرة وأخذًا بالحزم في قطع أَطْماع الكفّار.

     One of the most notable deeds of our master (God assist him!) of struggle is his engineering of enceintes on all shores, and his manifold provisions in naval matters, in time of peace and armistice to prepare for days of war, to shortcircuit the cravings of the infidels resolutely.

5. (archaic) a kind of round ship
   • 1355, Ibn Baṭṭūṭa ed. Charles Defrémery et Beniamino Sanguinetti, Vol. II, p. 234 l. 1 a fine
   • 1355, Ibn Baṭṭūṭa ed. Charles Defrémery et Beniamino Sanguinetti, Vol. IV, p. 105 l. 2
   • 1355, Ibn Baṭṭūṭa ed. Charles Defrémery et Beniamino Sanguinetti, Vol. IV, p. 271 l. 3 a fine

Declension

Declension of noun جَفْن (jafn)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جَفْن jafn	الْجَفْن al-jafn	جَفْن jafn
Nominative	جَفْنٌ jafnun	الْجَفْنُ al-jafnu	جَفْنُ jafnu
Accusative	جَفْنًا jafnan	الْجَفْنَ al-jafna	جَفْنَ jafna
Genitive	جَفْنٍ jafnin	الْجَفْنِ al-jafni	جَفْنِ jafni
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جَفْنَيْن jafnayn	الْجَفْنَيْن al-jafnayn	جَفْنَيْ jafnay
Nominative	جَفْنَانِ jafnāni	الْجَفْنَانِ al-jafnāni	جَفْنَا jafnā
Accusative	جَفْنَيْنِ jafnayni	الْجَفْنَيْنِ al-jafnayni	جَفْنَيْ jafnay
Genitive	جَفْنَيْنِ jafnayni	الْجَفْنَيْنِ al-jafnayni	جَفْنَيْ jafnay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جُفُون‎; أَجْفَان jufūn‎; ʔajfān	الْجُفُون‎; الْأَجْفَان al-jufūn‎; al-ʔajfān	جُفُون‎; أَجْفَان jufūn‎; ʔajfān
Nominative	جُفُونٌ‎; أَجْفَانٌ jufūnun‎; ʔajfānun	الْجُفُونُ‎; الْأَجْفَانُ al-jufūnu‎; al-ʔajfānu	جُفُونُ‎; أَجْفَانُ jufūnu‎; ʔajfānu
Accusative	جُفُونًا‎; أَجْفَانًا jufūnan‎; ʔajfānan	الْجُفُونَ‎; الْأَجْفَانَ al-jufūna‎; al-ʔajfāna	جُفُونَ‎; أَجْفَانَ jufūna‎; ʔajfāna
Genitive	جُفُونٍ‎; أَجْفَانٍ jufūnin‎; ʔajfānin	الْجُفُونِ‎; الْأَجْفَانِ al-jufūni‎; al-ʔajfāni	جُفُونِ‎; أَجْفَانِ jufūni‎; ʔajfāni

Derived terms

• جَفْنَة (jafna)

Descendants

• Maltese: ġifen

References

• Agius, Dionisius A. (2008) Classic Ships of Islam. From Mesopotamia to the Indian Ocean (Handbook of Oriental Studies; 92), Leiden: Brill, pages 338–340
• Dozy, Reinhart Pieter Anne (1881) “جفن”, in Supplément aux dictionnaires arabes‎^[1] (in French), volume 2, Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 201

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Egyptian Arabic

Noun

1. eyelid