حرف

See also: خرف, خرق, حرق, and خ ر ق

Arabic

Pronunciation

• Verb I: IPA^(key): /ħa.ra.fa/
• Verb II: IPA^(key): /ħar.ra.fa/
• Noun 1, 2: IPA^(key): /ħarf/,

  Audio:

  (file)

• Noun 3: IPA^(key): /ħurf/

Etymology 1

Root
ح ر ف (ḥ-r-f)

Cognate to Aramaic חָרַף (ḥarap, “to scrape, sharpen, to grind”), Classical Syriac ܚܪܰܦ (ḥrap̄, “to blend, to scrape together”), Classical Syriac ܚܰܪܦܐ (ḥarp̄a, “blade, sword”), Ge'ez ሐረፈ (ḥäräfä, “to crush, to grind, to tear off the top”).

Verb

حَرَفَ • (ḥarafa) I, non-past يَحْرِفُ‎ (yaḥrifu)

1. to turn to the opposite side
2. to trade, to do business
3. to trim, to snip

Conjugation

Conjugation of

حَرَفَ

(form-I sound, verbal noun حَرْف)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						حَرْف ḥarf
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						حَارِف ḥārif
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَحْرُوف maḥrūf
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	حَرَفْتُ ḥaraftu	حَرَفْتَ ḥarafta	حَرَفَ ḥarafa		حَرَفْتُمَا ḥaraftumā	حَرَفَا ḥarafā		حَرَفْنَا ḥarafnā	حَرَفْتُمْ ḥaraftum	حَرَفُوا ḥarafū
	f		حَرَفْتِ ḥarafti	حَرَفَتْ ḥarafat			حَرَفَتَا ḥarafatā			حَرَفْتُنَّ ḥaraftunna	حَرَفْنَ ḥarafna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَحْرِفُ ʔaḥrifu	تَحْرِفُ taḥrifu	يَحْرِفُ yaḥrifu		تَحْرِفَانِ taḥrifāni	يَحْرِفَانِ yaḥrifāni		نَحْرِفُ naḥrifu	تَحْرِفُونَ taḥrifūna	يَحْرِفُونَ yaḥrifūna
	f		تَحْرِفِينَ taḥrifīna	تَحْرِفُ taḥrifu			تَحْرِفَانِ taḥrifāni			تَحْرِفْنَ taḥrifna	يَحْرِفْنَ yaḥrifna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَحْرِفَ ʔaḥrifa	تَحْرِفَ taḥrifa	يَحْرِفَ yaḥrifa		تَحْرِفَا taḥrifā	يَحْرِفَا yaḥrifā		نَحْرِفَ naḥrifa	تَحْرِفُوا taḥrifū	يَحْرِفُوا yaḥrifū
	f		تَحْرِفِي taḥrifī	تَحْرِفَ taḥrifa			تَحْرِفَا taḥrifā			تَحْرِفْنَ taḥrifna	يَحْرِفْنَ yaḥrifna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَحْرِفْ ʔaḥrif	تَحْرِفْ taḥrif	يَحْرِفْ yaḥrif		تَحْرِفَا taḥrifā	يَحْرِفَا yaḥrifā		نَحْرِفْ naḥrif	تَحْرِفُوا taḥrifū	يَحْرِفُوا yaḥrifū
	f		تَحْرِفِي taḥrifī	تَحْرِفْ taḥrif			تَحْرِفَا taḥrifā			تَحْرِفْنَ taḥrifna	يَحْرِفْنَ yaḥrifna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِحْرِفْ iḥrif			اِحْرِفَا iḥrifā				اِحْرِفُوا iḥrifū
	f		اِحْرِفِي iḥrifī							اِحْرِفْنَ iḥrifna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	حُرِفْتُ ḥuriftu	حُرِفْتَ ḥurifta	حُرِفَ ḥurifa		حُرِفْتُمَا ḥuriftumā	حُرِفَا ḥurifā		حُرِفْنَا ḥurifnā	حُرِفْتُمْ ḥuriftum	حُرِفُوا ḥurifū
	f		حُرِفْتِ ḥurifti	حُرِفَتْ ḥurifat			حُرِفَتَا ḥurifatā			حُرِفْتُنَّ ḥuriftunna	حُرِفْنَ ḥurifna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُحْرَفُ ʔuḥrafu	تُحْرَفُ tuḥrafu	يُحْرَفُ yuḥrafu		تُحْرَفَانِ tuḥrafāni	يُحْرَفَانِ yuḥrafāni		نُحْرَفُ nuḥrafu	تُحْرَفُونَ tuḥrafūna	يُحْرَفُونَ yuḥrafūna
	f		تُحْرَفِينَ tuḥrafīna	تُحْرَفُ tuḥrafu			تُحْرَفَانِ tuḥrafāni			تُحْرَفْنَ tuḥrafna	يُحْرَفْنَ yuḥrafna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُحْرَفَ ʔuḥrafa	تُحْرَفَ tuḥrafa	يُحْرَفَ yuḥrafa		تُحْرَفَا tuḥrafā	يُحْرَفَا yuḥrafā		نُحْرَفَ nuḥrafa	تُحْرَفُوا tuḥrafū	يُحْرَفُوا yuḥrafū
	f		تُحْرَفِي tuḥrafī	تُحْرَفَ tuḥrafa			تُحْرَفَا tuḥrafā			تُحْرَفْنَ tuḥrafna	يُحْرَفْنَ yuḥrafna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُحْرَفْ ʔuḥraf	تُحْرَفْ tuḥraf	يُحْرَفْ yuḥraf		تُحْرَفَا tuḥrafā	يُحْرَفَا yuḥrafā		نُحْرَفْ nuḥraf	تُحْرَفُوا tuḥrafū	يُحْرَفُوا yuḥrafū
	f		تُحْرَفِي tuḥrafī	تُحْرَفْ tuḥraf			تُحْرَفَا tuḥrafā			تُحْرَفْنَ tuḥrafna	يُحْرَفْنَ yuḥrafna

Verb

حَرَّفَ • (ḥarrafa) II, non-past يُحَرِّفُ‎ (yuḥarrifu)

1. to slant, to incline
2. to bend down, up, or back, to turn down, up, or back
3. to deflect
4. to distort, to corrupt, to falsify, to misconstrue, to pervert, to twist
   • 7th century CE, Jamīʿ at-Tirmiḏiyy, section 47:

     فَمَا جَاءُوا بِهِ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فَهُوَ حَقٌّ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ يُحَرِّفُونَ وَيَزِيدُونَ

     famā jāʔū bihi ʕalā wajhihi fahuwa ḥaqqun walakinnahum yuḥarrifūna wayazīdūna

     Whatever they came with is right, as it is – however they distort and augment.

Conjugation

Conjugation of

حَرَّفَ

(form-II sound)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						تَحْرِيف taḥrīf
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُحَرِّف muḥarrif
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُحَرَّف muḥarraf
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	حَرَّفْتُ ḥarraftu	حَرَّفْتَ ḥarrafta	حَرَّفَ ḥarrafa		حَرَّفْتُمَا ḥarraftumā	حَرَّفَا ḥarrafā		حَرَّفْنَا ḥarrafnā	حَرَّفْتُمْ ḥarraftum	حَرَّفُوا ḥarrafū
	f		حَرَّفْتِ ḥarrafti	حَرَّفَتْ ḥarrafat			حَرَّفَتَا ḥarrafatā			حَرَّفْتُنَّ ḥarraftunna	حَرَّفْنَ ḥarrafna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُحَرِّفُ ʔuḥarrifu	تُحَرِّفُ tuḥarrifu	يُحَرِّفُ yuḥarrifu		تُحَرِّفَانِ tuḥarrifāni	يُحَرِّفَانِ yuḥarrifāni		نُحَرِّفُ nuḥarrifu	تُحَرِّفُونَ tuḥarrifūna	يُحَرِّفُونَ yuḥarrifūna
	f		تُحَرِّفِينَ tuḥarrifīna	تُحَرِّفُ tuḥarrifu			تُحَرِّفَانِ tuḥarrifāni			تُحَرِّفْنَ tuḥarrifna	يُحَرِّفْنَ yuḥarrifna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُحَرِّفَ ʔuḥarrifa	تُحَرِّفَ tuḥarrifa	يُحَرِّفَ yuḥarrifa		تُحَرِّفَا tuḥarrifā	يُحَرِّفَا yuḥarrifā		نُحَرِّفَ nuḥarrifa	تُحَرِّفُوا tuḥarrifū	يُحَرِّفُوا yuḥarrifū
	f		تُحَرِّفِي tuḥarrifī	تُحَرِّفَ tuḥarrifa			تُحَرِّفَا tuḥarrifā			تُحَرِّفْنَ tuḥarrifna	يُحَرِّفْنَ yuḥarrifna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُحَرِّفْ ʔuḥarrif	تُحَرِّفْ tuḥarrif	يُحَرِّفْ yuḥarrif		تُحَرِّفَا tuḥarrifā	يُحَرِّفَا yuḥarrifā		نُحَرِّفْ nuḥarrif	تُحَرِّفُوا tuḥarrifū	يُحَرِّفُوا yuḥarrifū
	f		تُحَرِّفِي tuḥarrifī	تُحَرِّفْ tuḥarrif			تُحَرِّفَا tuḥarrifā			تُحَرِّفْنَ tuḥarrifna	يُحَرِّفْنَ yuḥarrifna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		حَرِّفْ ḥarrif			حَرِّفَا ḥarrifā				حَرِّفُوا ḥarrifū
	f		حَرِّفِي ḥarrifī							حَرِّفْنَ ḥarrifna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	حُرِّفْتُ ḥurriftu	حُرِّفْتَ ḥurrifta	حُرِّفَ ḥurrifa		حُرِّفْتُمَا ḥurriftumā	حُرِّفَا ḥurrifā		حُرِّفْنَا ḥurrifnā	حُرِّفْتُمْ ḥurriftum	حُرِّفُوا ḥurrifū
	f		حُرِّفْتِ ḥurrifti	حُرِّفَتْ ḥurrifat			حُرِّفَتَا ḥurrifatā			حُرِّفْتُنَّ ḥurriftunna	حُرِّفْنَ ḥurrifna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُحَرَّفُ ʔuḥarrafu	تُحَرَّفُ tuḥarrafu	يُحَرَّفُ yuḥarrafu		تُحَرَّفَانِ tuḥarrafāni	يُحَرَّفَانِ yuḥarrafāni		نُحَرَّفُ nuḥarrafu	تُحَرَّفُونَ tuḥarrafūna	يُحَرَّفُونَ yuḥarrafūna
	f		تُحَرَّفِينَ tuḥarrafīna	تُحَرَّفُ tuḥarrafu			تُحَرَّفَانِ tuḥarrafāni			تُحَرَّفْنَ tuḥarrafna	يُحَرَّفْنَ yuḥarrafna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُحَرَّفَ ʔuḥarrafa	تُحَرَّفَ tuḥarrafa	يُحَرَّفَ yuḥarrafa		تُحَرَّفَا tuḥarrafā	يُحَرَّفَا yuḥarrafā		نُحَرَّفَ nuḥarrafa	تُحَرَّفُوا tuḥarrafū	يُحَرَّفُوا yuḥarrafū
	f		تُحَرَّفِي tuḥarrafī	تُحَرَّفَ tuḥarrafa			تُحَرَّفَا tuḥarrafā			تُحَرَّفْنَ tuḥarrafna	يُحَرَّفْنَ yuḥarrafna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُحَرَّفْ ʔuḥarraf	تُحَرَّفْ tuḥarraf	يُحَرَّفْ yuḥarraf		تُحَرَّفَا tuḥarrafā	يُحَرَّفَا yuḥarrafā		نُحَرَّفْ nuḥarraf	تُحَرَّفُوا tuḥarrafū	يُحَرَّفُوا yuḥarrafū
	f		تُحَرَّفِي tuḥarrafī	تُحَرَّفْ tuḥarraf			تُحَرَّفَا tuḥarrafā			تُحَرَّفْنَ tuḥarrafna	يُحَرَّفْنَ yuḥarrafna

Etymology 2

Verbal noun of the verb above, the result of turning the tongue or stylus or limb to the side. The meaning “word” is a semantic loan from Medieval Latin terminus, spawned in the environment of philosophy text translation (see Praetorius 1909).

Noun

حَرْف • (ḥarf) m (plural حُرُوف (ḥurūf) or أَحْرُف (ʔaḥruf))

1. verbal noun of حَرَفَ (ḥarafa) (form I)
2. letter (of the alphabet), piece of type

   حَرْفًا بِحَرْفٍ ― ḥarfan bi-ḥarfin ― word for word

3. consonant
4. (grammar) particle
5. (obsolete) word

Declension

Declension of noun حَرْف (ḥarf)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf	حَرْف ḥarf
Nominative	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu	حَرْفُ ḥarfu
Accusative	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa	حَرْفَ ḥarfa
Genitive	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi	حَرْفِ ḥarfi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَرْفَيْن ḥarfayn	الْحَرْفَيْن al-ḥarfayn	حَرْفَيْ ḥarfay
Nominative	حَرْفَانِ ḥarfāni	الْحَرْفَانِ al-ḥarfāni	حَرْفَا ḥarfā
Accusative	حَرْفَيْنِ ḥarfayni	الْحَرْفَيْنِ al-ḥarfayni	حَرْفَيْ ḥarfay
Genitive	حَرْفَيْنِ ḥarfayni	الْحَرْفَيْنِ al-ḥarfayni	حَرْفَيْ ḥarfay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حُرُوف‎; أَحْرُف ḥurūf‎; ʔaḥruf	الْحُرُوف‎; الْأَحْرُف al-ḥurūf‎; al-ʔaḥruf	حُرُوف‎; أَحْرُف ḥurūf‎; ʔaḥruf
Nominative	حُرُوفٌ‎; أَحْرُفٌ ḥurūfun‎; ʔaḥrufun	الْحُرُوفُ‎; الْأَحْرُفُ al-ḥurūfu‎; al-ʔaḥrufu	حُرُوفُ‎; أَحْرُفُ ḥurūfu‎; ʔaḥrufu
Accusative	حُرُوفًا‎; أَحْرُفًا ḥurūfan‎; ʔaḥrufan	الْحُرُوفَ‎; الْأَحْرُفَ al-ḥurūfa‎; al-ʔaḥrufa	حُرُوفَ‎; أَحْرُفَ ḥurūfa‎; ʔaḥrufa
Genitive	حُرُوفٍ‎; أَحْرُفٍ ḥurūfin‎; ʔaḥrufin	الْحُرُوفِ‎; الْأَحْرُفِ al-ḥurūfi‎; al-ʔaḥrufi	حُرُوفِ‎; أَحْرُفِ ḥurūfi‎; ʔaḥrufi

Related terms

• حَرْفِيّ (ḥarfiyy)

Descendants

• Gulf Arabic: حرف (ḥarf)
• South Levantine Arabic: حرف (ḥarf)
• → Azerbaijani: hərf
• → Bashkir: хәреф (xəref)
• → Bengali: হরফ (hôrôf)
• → Gujarati: હરફ (haraph)
• → Hausa: har̃àfī
  • → Nupe: harànfi
  • → Yoruba: háràfí
• → Hindustani: حرف / हर्फ़ (harf)
• → Kabardian: хьэрыф (ḥɛrəf)
• → Kyrgyz: арип (arip)
• → Malay: huruf

  Indonesian: huruf

• → Minangkabau: uruf
• → Ottoman Turkish: حرف (harf)
  • Turkish: harf
  • → Albanian: harf
• → Persian: حرف (harf)
• → Punjabi: حرف (ḥrf) / ਹਰਫ਼ (haraf)
• → Swahili: herufi
• → Sindhi: حرف (harfu)
• → Tatar: хәреф (xäref)
• → Turkmen: harp
• → Uzbek: harf

Noun

حَرْف • (ḥarf) m (plural حِرَف (ḥiraf))

1. cutting edge, sharp edge
2. border, brink, edge, rim

Declension

Declension of noun حَرْف (ḥarf)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf	حَرْف ḥarf
Nominative	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu	حَرْفُ ḥarfu
Accusative	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa	حَرْفَ ḥarfa
Genitive	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi	حَرْفِ ḥarfi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَرْفَيْن ḥarfayn	الْحَرْفَيْن al-ḥarfayn	حَرْفَيْ ḥarfay
Nominative	حَرْفَانِ ḥarfāni	الْحَرْفَانِ al-ḥarfāni	حَرْفَا ḥarfā
Accusative	حَرْفَيْنِ ḥarfayni	الْحَرْفَيْنِ al-ḥarfayni	حَرْفَيْ ḥarfay
Genitive	حَرْفَيْنِ ḥarfayni	الْحَرْفَيْنِ al-ḥarfayni	حَرْفَيْ ḥarfay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حِرَف ḥiraf	الْحِرَف al-ḥiraf	حِرَف ḥiraf
Nominative	حِرَفٌ ḥirafun	الْحِرَفُ al-ḥirafu	حِرَفُ ḥirafu
Accusative	حِرَفًا ḥirafan	الْحِرَفَ al-ḥirafa	حِرَفَ ḥirafa
Genitive	حِرَفٍ ḥirafin	الْحِرَفِ al-ḥirafi	حِرَفِ ḥirafi

Adjective

حَرْف • (ḥarf)

1. (obsolete, poetic, of a she-camel) hardy, strong and/or lean and/or swift
   • a. 625, الأعشى al-ʾaʿšā, edited by Geyer, Rudolf, Zwei Gedichte von Al-ʾAʿšâ (Sitzungsberichte der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien. Philosophisch-historische Klasse; 149/6)‎^[1], volume Mâ Bukâʾu, Wien: In Kommission bei Carl Gerold’s Sohn, published 1905, page 102:

     وَشِمِلَّةٍ حَرْفٍ كَأَنَّ قُتُودَهَا … جَلَّلْتُهَا (var. لَبَسْتُهَا) جَوْنَ السَّرَاةِ خَفَيْدَدًا

     wašimillatin ḥarfin kaʔanna qutūdahā … jallaltuhā (var. labastuhā) jawna s-sarāti ḵafaydadan

     Some hardy she-camel the saddle-woods of which I applied like upon a black-backed ostrich

Declension

Declension of adjective حَرْف (ḥarf)

Singular	Masculine		Feminine
	basic singular triptote		basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf
Nominative	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu
Accusative	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa
Genitive	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi
Dual	Masculine		Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf
Nominative	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu
Accusative	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa
Genitive	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi
Plural	Masculine		Feminine
	basic broken plural triptote		basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf	حَرْف ḥarf	الْحَرْف al-ḥarf
Nominative	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu	حَرْفٌ ḥarfun	الْحَرْفُ al-ḥarfu
Accusative	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa	حَرْفًا ḥarfan	الْحَرْفَ al-ḥarfa
Genitive	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi	حَرْفٍ ḥarfin	الْحَرْفِ al-ḥarfi

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

حِرَف • (ḥiraf) pl

1. plural of حَرْف (ḥarf)
2. plural of حِرْفَة (ḥirfa)

Etymology 4

An Aramaic borrowing, Aramaic חורפה / חורפא / ࡇࡅࡓࡐࡀ / ܚܘܪܦܐ (ḥurpā, “sharp edge”) corresponds to the Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf, “sharp edge”) and acquired the transferred meanings of “pungency” and “pungent” food, which applies to cress because of its marked mustardy or radish-like, slightly pungent to peppery taste and smell, compare also the adjective likely borrowed from Aramaic into Arabic حِرِّيف (ḥirrīf, “pungent”); perhaps also merged Akkadian 𒄷𒌨𒁍 (ḫurpu, “crop collected early, unripe produce”), hence the meaning of bitter or unpleasant tasting plants, rather related to the root خ ر ف (ḵ-r-f).

Noun

حُرْف • (ḥurf) m

1. cress (Lepidium sativum, a garden vegetable)
2. bitter-cress (Cardamine, some of which are eatable, some of medicinal use)
3. water-cress (Nasturtium officinale, eatable and of medicinal use)
   • 1025, ابن سينا [Avicenna], القانون في الطب [Canon Medicinae]:

     قال ديسقويدس أجود ما رأينا من شجرة الحرف ما يكون بأرض بابل، وقوته شبيهة بقوة الخردل وبزر الفجل، وقيل الخردل وبزر الجرجير المجتمعين، وورقه ينقص في أفعاله عنه لرطوبته فإذا يبس قارب مشاكلته وكاد يلحقه. […] الأفعال والخواص: مسخن محلل منضج مع تليين ينشف قيح الجرب.

     Dioscurides said that the best what we have seen of the water-cress is the one on the earth of Babel, and its power is similar to that of the mustard and the seeds of the radish, and, it is said, mustard and rocket seeds can be blended with it, but its leaves fall behind the whole of the plant in their effects by reason of their moisture, but when dried, they are similar to it and almost catch up with it. […] Its properties: It is heatening, laxative, maturative with some laxivity and absorbs the pus in the scab.

Declension

Declension of noun حُرْف (ḥurf)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حُرْف ḥurf	الْحُرْف al-ḥurf	حُرْف ḥurf
Nominative	حُرْفٌ ḥurfun	الْحُرْفُ al-ḥurfu	حُرْفُ ḥurfu
Accusative	حُرْفًا ḥurfan	الْحُرْفَ al-ḥurfa	حُرْفَ ḥurfa
Genitive	حُرْفٍ ḥurfin	الْحُرْفِ al-ḥurfi	حُرْفِ ḥurfi

Descendants

• → Old Catalan: algorfa, algorfe

References

• “ḥrp”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Freytag, Georg (1830) “حرف”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum‎^[2] (in Latin), volume 1, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, pages 367–368
• Kazimirski, Albin de Biberstein (1860) “حرف”, in Dictionnaire arabe-français contenant toutes les racines de la langue arabe, leurs dérivés, tant dans l’idiome vulgaire que dans l’idiome littéral, ainsi que les dialectes d’Alger et de Maroc‎^[3] (in French), volume 1, Paris: Maisonneuve et C^ie, pages 410–411
• Praetorius, Franz (1909) “Ḥarf^un = Terminus”, in Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft‎^[4], volume 63, pages 504–505

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology

From Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf).

Noun

حرف • (harf) (plural حرفلر (harfler) or حروف (huruf))

1. letter
   • 1928 November 3, T.C. Resmî Gazete, law number 1353:

     شیمدی‌یه قادار توركجه‌یی یازمق ایچین قوللانیلان عرب حرفلری یرینه لاتین اساسندن آلنان و مربوط جدولده شكللری كوستریلن حرفلر (تورك حرفلری) عنوان و حقوقی ایله قبول لیدلمشدر.

     Şimdiye kadar Türkçeyi yazmak için kullanılan Arab harfleri yerine Latin esasından alınan ve merbut cetvelde şekilleri gösterilen harfler (Türk harfleri) unvan ve hukuku ile kabul edilmiştir.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

• Turkish: harf
• → Albanian: harf

Further reading

• Kélékian, Diran (1911) “حرف”, in Dictionnaire turc-français‎^[5], Constantinople: Mihran, page 502

Persian

Etymology 1

From Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [haɾf]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [häɾf]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [häɾf]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔäɾf]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔäɾf]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [hæɹf]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [häɾf]

Readings
Classical reading?	harf
Dari reading?	harf
Iranian reading?	harf
Tajik reading?	harf

Noun

Dari	حرف
Iranian Persian
Tajik	ҳарф

حَرْف • (harf) (plural حرف‌ها (harf-hâ) or حروف (horuf))

1. letter
   • c. 1250, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, دیوان شمس [Divān-i Shams-i Tabrīzī]:

     ز حرف عین چشم او ز ظرف جیم گوش او

     ze harf-e 'eyn čašm-e u ze zarf-e jim guš-e u

     Her eye, from the letter of ʿayn [the Arabic letter ع, connective عـ]; her ear, from the vessel of jīm [the Arabic letter ج]

2. speech, talk
   • c. 1260s, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, translated by Reynold A. Nicholson, مثنوی معنوی [Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi], volume IV, verse 2725:

     چگونه گفت اندر روی شاه این چنین گستاخ آن حرف تباه؟

     čegune goft andar ru-ye šah in čonin gostâx ân harf-e tebâh?

     How durst he say those vain words so impudently in the face of the king?

Derived terms

• حرف اضافه (harf-e ezâfe)
• حرف انداختن (harf andâxtan)
• حرف ربط (harf-e rabt)
• حرف زدن (harf zadan)
• پرحرف (por-harf)
• کم‌حرف (kam-harf)

 

Etymology 2

From Arabic حِرَف (ḥiraf).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [hi.ɾaf]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [hɪ.ɾäf]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [hɪ.ɾäf]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔɪ.ɾäf]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔi.ɾäf]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [he.ɹæf]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [hi.ɾäf]

Readings
Classical reading?	hiraf
Dari reading?	hiraf
Iranian reading?	heraf
Tajik reading?	hiraf

Noun

حِرَف • (heraf)

1. (archaic) plural of حرفه

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ħarf/, [ħɑrˤf]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Noun

حرف • (ḥarf) m (plural حروف (ḥurūf))

1. letter (of the alphabet)