عالم

Arabic

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Aramaic עָלְמָא / ܥܳܠܡܳܐ (ʿāləmā) or Hebrew עוֹלָם (ʿōlām), possibly from Akkadian 𒂖𒆷𒈬𒌋𒀀 (/⁠ellamu, illamu⁠/, “front, before; both temporally and in location; coming before your time or being currently physically before you now”).

The pattern فَاعَل (fāʕal)

The pattern فَاعَل (fāʕal) is considered originally foreign to Arabic and Ethiopic, occurring only in likely loanwords such as طَابَع (ṭābaʕ), خَاتَم (ḵātam), فَالَج (fālaj). It should be noted some of these loans are suspected to be early, such as خَاتَم (ḵātam) being present in Old Arabian Inscriptions and عَالَم (ʕālam) retaining the sound masculine plural ending in spite of being treated as a non-human plural; a feature that suggests it existed prior to the restriction of such a use exclusively for male humans; whereas one group renders known Middle Iranian suffixes, as in طَابَق (ṭābaq) and سَاذَج (sāḏaj) and رَامَك (rāmak) and via Aramaic fricativized as in كَامَخ (kāmaḵ) the ending of which became Classical Persian ـه (-a) and ـک (-ak). Nautically, even Dravidian borrowings with this measure like طَالَم (ṭālam) are possible early. Consequently due to its early appearance, the فَاعَل (fāʕal) pattern has since become a sparsely used coined pattern in its own right, typically however still being reserved for loanwords using the structure of these earlier loans as their basis; for example the later loan طَاقَم (ṭāqam).

Alternative forms

• عٰلَم (ʕālam)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaː.lam/

Noun

عَالَم • (ʕālam) m (plural عَالَمُون (ʕālamūn) or عَوَالِم (ʕawālim))

1. world
2. universe, cosmos, existence
3. (chiefly Christianity) world, hereunder, worldly life

   Synonym: دُنْيَا (dunyā)

   فِي العالَمِ يَكُونُ لَكُم ضِيقٌ، وَلٰكِن ثِقُوا: أَنَا قَد غَلَبْتُ العالَم.

   fī l-ʕālami yakūnu lakum ḍīqun, walākin ṯiqū: ʔanā qad ḡalabtu l-ʕālam.

   In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

4. things, creation, that which exists before you
5. nation, people, group, type, or kind

Declension

Declension of noun عَالَم (ʕālam)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالَم ʕālam	الْعَالَم al-ʕālam	عَالَم ʕālam
Nominative	عَالَمٌ ʕālamun	الْعَالَمُ al-ʕālamu	عَالَمُ ʕālamu
Accusative	عَالَمًا ʕālaman	الْعَالَمَ al-ʕālama	عَالَمَ ʕālama
Genitive	عَالَمٍ ʕālamin	الْعَالَمِ al-ʕālami	عَالَمِ ʕālami
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالَمَيْن ʕālamayn	الْعَالَمَيْن al-ʕālamayn	عَالَمَيْ ʕālamay
Nominative	عَالَمَانِ ʕālamāni	الْعَالَمَانِ al-ʕālamāni	عَالَمَا ʕālamā
Accusative	عَالَمَيْنِ ʕālamayni	الْعَالَمَيْنِ al-ʕālamayni	عَالَمَيْ ʕālamay
Genitive	عَالَمَيْنِ ʕālamayni	الْعَالَمَيْنِ al-ʕālamayni	عَالَمَيْ ʕālamay
Plural	sound masculine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالَمِين‎; عَوَالِم ʕālamīn‎; ʕawālim	الْعَالَمِين‎; الْعَوَالِم al-ʕālamīn‎; al-ʕawālim	عَالَمِي‎; عَوَالِم ʕālamī‎; ʕawālim
Nominative	عَالَمُونَ‎; عَوَالِمُ ʕālamūna‎; ʕawālimu	الْعَالَمُونَ‎; الْعَوَالِمُ al-ʕālamūna‎; al-ʕawālimu	عَالَمُو‎; عَوَالِمُ ʕālamū‎; ʕawālimu
Accusative	عَالَمِينَ‎; عَوَالِمَ ʕālamīna‎; ʕawālima	الْعَالَمِينَ‎; الْعَوَالِمَ al-ʕālamīna‎; al-ʕawālima	عَالَمِي‎; عَوَالِمَ ʕālamī‎; ʕawālima
Genitive	عَالَمِينَ‎; عَوَالِمَ ʕālamīna‎; ʕawālima	الْعَالَمِينَ‎; الْعَوَالِمِ al-ʕālamīna‎; al-ʕawālimi	عَالَمِي‎; عَوَالِمِ ʕālamī‎; ʕawālimi

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: aləm
• → Bashkir: ғәләм (ğələm)
• → Bengali: আলম (alom)
• → Indonesian: alam
• → Kazakh: ғалам (ğalam), әлем (älem)
• → Kyrgyz: аалам (aalam)
• → Malay: alam
  • Indonesian: alam
• → Middle Armenian: ալամ (alam)
  • Armenian: ալամ (alam)
• → Ottoman Turkish: عالم (ʿālem)

  > Turkish: âlem (inherited)

• → Persian: عالم ('âlam)
  • → Urdu: عالم (ālam)
• → Tabasaran: аьлам (a̱lam)
• → Uzbek: olam

Etymology 2

Derived from the active participle of the verb عَلِمَ (ʕalima, “to know”), from the root ع ل م (ʕ-l-m).

Noun

عَالِم • (ʕālim) m (plural عَالِمُون (ʕālimūn) or عُلَمَاء (ʕulamāʔ), feminine عَالِمَة (ʕālima))

1. scholar, man of letters, scientist
2. knowledgeable person, savant

Declension

Declension of noun عَالِم (ʕālim)

Singular	Masculine			Feminine
	basic singular triptote			singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالِم ʕālim	الْعَالِم al-ʕālim	عَالِم ʕālim	عَالِمَة ʕālima	الْعَالِمَة al-ʕālima	عَالِمَة ʕālimat
Nominative	عَالِمٌ ʕālimun	الْعَالِمُ al-ʕālimu	عَالِمُ ʕālimu	عَالِمَةٌ ʕālimatun	الْعَالِمَةُ al-ʕālimatu	عَالِمَةُ ʕālimatu
Accusative	عَالِمًا ʕāliman	الْعَالِمَ al-ʕālima	عَالِمَ ʕālima	عَالِمَةً ʕālimatan	الْعَالِمَةَ al-ʕālimata	عَالِمَةَ ʕālimata
Genitive	عَالِمٍ ʕālimin	الْعَالِمِ al-ʕālimi	عَالِمِ ʕālimi	عَالِمَةٍ ʕālimatin	الْعَالِمَةِ al-ʕālimati	عَالِمَةِ ʕālimati
Dual	Masculine			Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالِمَيْن ʕālimayn	الْعَالِمَيْن al-ʕālimayn	عَالِمَيْ ʕālimay	عَالِمَتَيْن ʕālimatayn	الْعَالِمَتَيْن al-ʕālimatayn	عَالِمَتَيْ ʕālimatay
Nominative	عَالِمَانِ ʕālimāni	الْعَالِمَانِ al-ʕālimāni	عَالِمَا ʕālimā	عَالِمَتَانِ ʕālimatāni	الْعَالِمَتَانِ al-ʕālimatāni	عَالِمَتَا ʕālimatā
Accusative	عَالِمَيْنِ ʕālimayni	الْعَالِمَيْنِ al-ʕālimayni	عَالِمَيْ ʕālimay	عَالِمَتَيْنِ ʕālimatayni	الْعَالِمَتَيْنِ al-ʕālimatayni	عَالِمَتَيْ ʕālimatay
Genitive	عَالِمَيْنِ ʕālimayni	الْعَالِمَيْنِ al-ʕālimayni	عَالِمَيْ ʕālimay	عَالِمَتَيْنِ ʕālimatayni	الْعَالِمَتَيْنِ al-ʕālimatayni	عَالِمَتَيْ ʕālimatay
Plural	Masculine			Feminine
	sound masculine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote			sound feminine plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالِمِين‎; عُلَمَاء ʕālimīn‎; ʕulamāʔ	الْعَالِمِين‎; الْعُلَمَاء al-ʕālimīn‎; al-ʕulamāʔ	عَالِمِي‎; عُلَمَاء ʕālimī‎; ʕulamāʔ	عَالِمَات ʕālimāt	الْعَالِمَات al-ʕālimāt	عَالِمَات ʕālimāt
Nominative	عَالِمُونَ‎; عُلَمَاءُ ʕālimūna‎; ʕulamāʔu	الْعَالِمُونَ‎; الْعُلَمَاءُ al-ʕālimūna‎; al-ʕulamāʔu	عَالِمُو‎; عُلَمَاءُ ʕālimū‎; ʕulamāʔu	عَالِمَاتٌ ʕālimātun	الْعَالِمَاتُ al-ʕālimātu	عَالِمَاتُ ʕālimātu
Accusative	عَالِمِينَ‎; عُلَمَاءَ ʕālimīna‎; ʕulamāʔa	الْعَالِمِينَ‎; الْعُلَمَاءَ al-ʕālimīna‎; al-ʕulamāʔa	عَالِمِي‎; عُلَمَاءَ ʕālimī‎; ʕulamāʔa	عَالِمَاتٍ ʕālimātin	الْعَالِمَاتِ al-ʕālimāti	عَالِمَاتِ ʕālimāti
Genitive	عَالِمِينَ‎; عُلَمَاءَ ʕālimīna‎; ʕulamāʔa	الْعَالِمِينَ‎; الْعُلَمَاءِ al-ʕālimīna‎; al-ʕulamāʔi	عَالِمِي‎; عُلَمَاءِ ʕālimī‎; ʕulamāʔi	عَالِمَاتٍ ʕālimātin	الْعَالِمَاتِ al-ʕālimāti	عَالِمَاتِ ʕālimāti

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: alim
• → Bengali: আলেম (alem)
• → Fula: aalim
• → Persian: عالم ('âlem)
• → Ottoman Turkish: عالم (ʿālim)

  > Turkish: âlim (inherited)

• → Kazakh: ғалым (ğalym)
• → Kyrgyz: аалым (aalım)
• → Urdu: عالم (ālim)

References

• “ˁlm”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Fischer, Wolfdietrich (2006) Grammatik des Klassischen Arabisch (in German), 4^th edition, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, →ISBN, § 62 Anm. 5, page 36
• Fraenkel, Siegmund (1880) De vocabulis in antiquis Arabum carminibus et in Corano peregrinis‎^[1] (in Latin), Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 17
• Fraenkel, Siegmund (1880) De vocabulis in antiquis Arabum carminibus et in Corano peregrinis‎^[2] (in Latin), Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 21
• Jeffery, Arthur (1938) The Foreign Vocabulary of the Qurʾān (Gaekwad’s Oriental Series; 79), Baroda: Oriental Institute, pages 208–209
• Nöldeke, Theodor (1875) Mandäische Grammatik‎^[3] (in German), Halle: Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, page 112

Kohistani Shina

Noun

عالم ('alim)

1. teacher

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عالَم (ʕālam).

Noun

عالم • (ʕālam) m (plural عوالم (ʕwālim))

1. world

   Synonym: دني (dini)

2. people, folk

   Synonym: ناس (nās)

   كان في كتير عالم هنيك.

   Kān fi ktīr ʕālam hunīk.

   There were a lot of people there.

Usage notes

• When meaning “people” it is often construed with a feminine or plural verb, like ناس.

Ottoman Turkish

عَالِم

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Noun

عالم • (alem) (plural عالمون (alemun), and عوالم (ewalim))

1. world, universe, everything except God
2. age, time, period

Descendants

• Turkish: âlem

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم (ʕālim).

Noun

عالم • (alim) (plural علما (ulema), and علام (ullam))

1. learned man, scholar, man of letters
2. particularly, a member of a certain class of men with a state-sponsored tenure, as distinguished from a mufti, being part of the askeri class, alim [since Mehmed II]

Adjective

عالم • (alim)

1. learned, educated

   عالم بر خاتون ― alim bir hatun ― a learned lady

Descendants

• Turkish: âlim

Further reading

• Meninski, Franciszek à Mesgnien (1680) “عالم”, in Thesaurus linguarum orientalium, Turcicae, Arabicae, Persicae, praecipuas earum opes à Turcis peculiariter usurpatas continens, nimirum Lexicon Turkico-Arabico-Persicum‎^[4], Vienna, columns 3196–3197
• Ottoman imperial Sunni ulama on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Die Ulamā im Osmanischen Reich on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de

Persian

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.ˈlam]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.lǽm]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.lǽm]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.lǽm]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔɔː.lǽm]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɒː.lǽm]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɔ.lǽm]

Readings
Classical reading?	ālam
Dari reading?	ālam
Iranian reading?	âlam
Tajik reading?	olam

Noun

Dari	عالم
Iranian Persian
Tajik	олам

عالَم • ('âlam)

1. world; universe

   Synonyms: جهان (jahân), دنیا (donyâ)

   • c. 1260s, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, translated by Reynold A. Nicholson, مثنوی معنوی [Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi], volume III, verse 64:

     کین جهان چاهیست بس تاریک و تنگ
     هست بیرون عالمی بی بو و رنگ

     k-in jahân čâhi-st bas târik o tang
     hast birun 'âlami bi bu vo rang

     [Saying,] "This world is an exceeding dark and narrow pit; outside is a world without scent or colour."

   • late 1300s, Xāja Shams-ud-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī, “Ghazal 470 (Sīne mālāmāl-e dard ast)”, in دیوان حافظ:

     زیرکی را گفتم این احوال بین خندید و گفت
     صعب روزی بوالعجب کاری پریشان عالمی

     ziraki râ goftam in ahvâl bin, xandid o goft
     sa'b ruzi, bol-'ajab kâri, parišân 'âlami

     I said to a wise one, "Look at these conditions!" He laughed and said,
     "A difficult day, a strange affair, a perplexing world!"

Descendants

• → Gujarati: આલમ (ālam)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Arabic عَالِم (ʕālim).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.ˈlim]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.lɪ́m]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.lɪ́m]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔɑː.lɪ́m]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔɔː.lím]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɒː.lém]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɔ.lím]

Readings
Classical reading?	ālim
Dari reading?	ālim
Iranian reading?	âlem
Tajik reading?	olim

Adjective

Dari	عالم
Iranian Persian
Tajik	олим

عالِم • ('âlem)

1. learned; knowledgeable

Related terms

• علم ('elm, “knowledge”)

 

Descendants

• → Gujarati: આલિમ (ālim)

Punjabi

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑː.lə.mᵊ/

Noun

عالَم • (ʻālam) m (Gurmukhi spelling ਆਲਮ)

1. world
2. universe
3. kingdom
4. state, condition

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم (ʕālim).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑː.lə.mᵊ/

Adjective

عالَم • (ʻālam) (Gurmukhi spelling ਆਲਮ)

1. learned
2. knowledgeable
3. intelligent
4. wise

Usage notes

• Many Arabic loanwords, such as عالَم (ʻālam), can have multiple meanings in Punjabi, where in this case, one is related to the noun, while the latter meaning is used to refer to the adjective. Both are borrowed from different Arabic words, yet have the same pronunciation in Punjabi, unlike in, the sister language, Urdu عالِم ('ālim), (and rarely in Hindi आलिम (ālim)), where there is a distinction in pronunciation between the adjective and the noun. This can cause ambiguity as generally Punjabi speakers, who tend to also speak Hindi and Urdu, might actually mix words from either languages and not emphasise on the difference in pronunciation.

Related terms

• عِلْم (ʻilm)

South Levantine Arabic

Root
ع ل م
7 terms

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaː.lam/, [ˈʕæː.lam]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Noun

عالم • (ʕālam) m

1. world

   Synonym: دنيا (dinya)

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم (ʕālim).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaː.lim/, [ˈʕæː.lɪm]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Adjective

عالم • (ʕālem) (feminine عالمة (ʕālme), elative أعلم (ʔaʕlam))

1. aware
2. (formal) knowing

Noun

عالم • (ʕālem) m (plural علماء (ʕulamāʔ), feminine عالمة (ʕālme))

1. scholar, scientist

   Synonym: باحث (bāḥes)

Urdu

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ɑː.ləm/

• Audio (PK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əm

Noun

عالَم • ('ālam) m (Hindi spelling आलम)

1. world
2. universe
3. mankind
4. kingdom
5. season
6. state, condition
7. age, period

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم (ʕālim).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ɑː.lɪm/

• Audio (PK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪm

Adjective

عالِم • ('ālim) (Hindi spelling आलिम)

1. learned
2. knowledgeable
3. intelligent
4. wise

Noun

عالم • ('ālim) m (Hindi spelling आलिम)

1. doctor
2. scientist

Related terms

• علم ('ilm)