عين

See also: عین and غين

Arabic

Etymology 1

Morphologically from the root ع ي ن (ʕ y n), from Proto-Semitic *ʕayn-, from Proto-Afroasiatic *ʕayVn-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaj.ja.na/

Verb

عَيَّنَ • (ʕayyana) II (non-past يُعَيِّنُ (yuʕayyinu), verbal noun تَعْيِين (taʕyīn)) (transitive)

1. to appoint, to assign, to name, to nominate
2. to define
3. to determine, to fix, to identify, to specify
4. to allocate, to allot, to apportion, to earmark, to itemize, to set aside

Conjugation

Conjugation of عَيَّنَ (II, sound, full passive, verbal noun تَعْيِين)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						تَعْيِين taʕyīn
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُعَيِّن muʕayyin
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُعَيَّن muʕayyan
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	عَيَّنْتُ ʕayyantu	عَيَّنْتَ ʕayyanta	عَيَّنَ ʕayyana		عَيَّنْتُمَا ʕayyantumā	عَيَّنَا ʕayyanā		عَيَّنَّا ʕayyannā	عَيَّنْتُمْ ʕayyantum	عَيَّنُوا ʕayyanū
	f		عَيَّنْتِ ʕayyanti	عَيَّنَتْ ʕayyanat			عَيَّنَتَا ʕayyanatā			عَيَّنْتُنَّ ʕayyantunna	عَيَّنَّ ʕayyanna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُعَيِّنُ ʔuʕayyinu	تُعَيِّنُ tuʕayyinu	يُعَيِّنُ yuʕayyinu		تُعَيِّنَانِ tuʕayyināni	يُعَيِّنَانِ yuʕayyināni		نُعَيِّنُ nuʕayyinu	تُعَيِّنُونَ tuʕayyinūna	يُعَيِّنُونَ yuʕayyinūna
	f		تُعَيِّنِينَ tuʕayyinīna	تُعَيِّنُ tuʕayyinu			تُعَيِّنَانِ tuʕayyināni			تُعَيِّنَّ tuʕayyinna	يُعَيِّنَّ yuʕayyinna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُعَيِّنَ ʔuʕayyina	تُعَيِّنَ tuʕayyina	يُعَيِّنَ yuʕayyina		تُعَيِّنَا tuʕayyinā	يُعَيِّنَا yuʕayyinā		نُعَيِّنَ nuʕayyina	تُعَيِّنُوا tuʕayyinū	يُعَيِّنُوا yuʕayyinū
	f		تُعَيِّنِي tuʕayyinī	تُعَيِّنَ tuʕayyina			تُعَيِّنَا tuʕayyinā			تُعَيِّنَّ tuʕayyinna	يُعَيِّنَّ yuʕayyinna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُعَيِّنْ ʔuʕayyin	تُعَيِّنْ tuʕayyin	يُعَيِّنْ yuʕayyin		تُعَيِّنَا tuʕayyinā	يُعَيِّنَا yuʕayyinā		نُعَيِّنْ nuʕayyin	تُعَيِّنُوا tuʕayyinū	يُعَيِّنُوا yuʕayyinū
	f		تُعَيِّنِي tuʕayyinī	تُعَيِّنْ tuʕayyin			تُعَيِّنَا tuʕayyinā			تُعَيِّنَّ tuʕayyinna	يُعَيِّنَّ yuʕayyinna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		عَيِّنْ ʕayyin			عَيِّنَا ʕayyinā				عَيِّنُوا ʕayyinū
	f		عَيِّنِي ʕayyinī							عَيِّنَّ ʕayyinna
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	عُيِّنْتُ ʕuyyintu	عُيِّنْتَ ʕuyyinta	عُيِّنَ ʕuyyina		عُيِّنْتُمَا ʕuyyintumā	عُيِّنَا ʕuyyinā		عُيِّنَّا ʕuyyinnā	عُيِّنْتُمْ ʕuyyintum	عُيِّنُوا ʕuyyinū
	f		عُيِّنْتِ ʕuyyinti	عُيِّنَتْ ʕuyyinat			عُيِّنَتَا ʕuyyinatā			عُيِّنْتُنَّ ʕuyyintunna	عُيِّنَّ ʕuyyinna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُعَيَّنُ ʔuʕayyanu	تُعَيَّنُ tuʕayyanu	يُعَيَّنُ yuʕayyanu		تُعَيَّنَانِ tuʕayyanāni	يُعَيَّنَانِ yuʕayyanāni		نُعَيَّنُ nuʕayyanu	تُعَيَّنُونَ tuʕayyanūna	يُعَيَّنُونَ yuʕayyanūna
	f		تُعَيَّنِينَ tuʕayyanīna	تُعَيَّنُ tuʕayyanu			تُعَيَّنَانِ tuʕayyanāni			تُعَيَّنَّ tuʕayyanna	يُعَيَّنَّ yuʕayyanna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُعَيَّنَ ʔuʕayyana	تُعَيَّنَ tuʕayyana	يُعَيَّنَ yuʕayyana		تُعَيَّنَا tuʕayyanā	يُعَيَّنَا yuʕayyanā		نُعَيَّنَ nuʕayyana	تُعَيَّنُوا tuʕayyanū	يُعَيَّنُوا yuʕayyanū
	f		تُعَيَّنِي tuʕayyanī	تُعَيَّنَ tuʕayyana			تُعَيَّنَا tuʕayyanā			تُعَيَّنَّ tuʕayyanna	يُعَيَّنَّ yuʕayyanna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُعَيَّنْ ʔuʕayyan	تُعَيَّنْ tuʕayyan	يُعَيَّنْ yuʕayyan		تُعَيَّنَا tuʕayyanā	يُعَيَّنَا yuʕayyanā		نُعَيَّنْ nuʕayyan	تُعَيَّنُوا tuʕayyanū	يُعَيَّنُوا yuʕayyanū
	f		تُعَيَّنِي tuʕayyanī	تُعَيَّنْ tuʕayyan			تُعَيَّنَا tuʕayyanā			تُعَيَّنَّ tuʕayyanna	يُعَيَّنَّ yuʕayyanna

Etymology 2

From Proto-Semitic *ʕayn-, from Proto-Afroasiatic *ʿayVn-. Synchronically from the root ع ي ن (ʕ y n).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕajn/

Noun

عَيْن • (ʕayn) f (dual عَيْنَان (ʕaynān), plural عُيُون (ʕuyūn) or أَعْيُن (ʔaʕyun))

عين

1. (anatomy) eye (organ)

   عَيْنَايَ ― ʕaynāya ― my two eyes

   عَيْنَاكَ ― ʕaynāka ― your (m/sg) two eyes

   1. (often preceded by الـ) envy, the evil eye
   2. spy

      Synonym: جَاسُوس (jāsūs)

2. spring (of water)

   Synonym: جَدْوَل (jadwal)

3. (plural أَعْيُن (ʔaʕyun)) The thing itself

   Synonyms: نَفْس (nafs), ذَات (ḏāt)

4. A revered person in the community.
5. (law) money or whatever is the equivalent of money.
6. (economics) what has monetary value except money.

Usage notes

• In most senses, the plural is either عُيُون (ʕuyūn) or أَعْيُن (ʔaʕyun). In sense 5, أَعْيُن (ʔaʕyun) is the only plural.
• When referring to envy and the evil eye, عَيْن (ʕayn) often signifies what is regarded as the injurious and damaging supernatural effects of jealousy and envy (for example, seemingly uncurable physical or psychological ailments and a ruined social life), not envy itself, whereas حَسَد (ḥasad) usually refers to grudge and envy, regardless of any harmful effects believed to stem from such feelings. See the usage notes in the entry for حَسَد (ḥasad) for more information.

Declension

Declension of noun عَيْن (ʕayn)

singular	basic singular triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	عَيْن ʕayn	الْعَيْن al-ʕayn	عَيْن ʕayn
nominative	عَيْنٌ ʕaynun	الْعَيْنُ al-ʕaynu	عَيْنُ ʕaynu
accusative	عَيْنًا ʕaynan	الْعَيْنَ al-ʕayna	عَيْنَ ʕayna
genitive	عَيْنٍ ʕaynin	الْعَيْنِ al-ʕayni	عَيْنِ ʕayni
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	عَيْنَيْن ʕaynayn	الْعَيْنَيْن al-ʕaynayn	عَيْنَيْ ʕaynay
nominative	عَيْنَانِ ʕaynāni	الْعَيْنَانِ al-ʕaynāni	عَيْنَا ʕaynā
accusative	عَيْنَيْنِ ʕaynayni	الْعَيْنَيْنِ al-ʕaynayni	عَيْنَيْ ʕaynay
genitive	عَيْنَيْنِ ʕaynayni	الْعَيْنَيْنِ al-ʕaynayni	عَيْنَيْ ʕaynay
plural	basic broken plural triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	عُيُون‎; أَعْيُن ʕuyūn‎; ʔaʕyun	الْعُيُون‎; الْأَعْيُن al-ʕuyūn‎; al-ʔaʕyun	عُيُون‎; أَعْيُن ʕuyūn‎; ʔaʕyun
nominative	عُيُونٌ‎; أَعْيُنٌ ʕuyūnun‎; ʔaʕyunun	الْعُيُونُ‎; الْأَعْيُنُ al-ʕuyūnu‎; al-ʔaʕyunu	عُيُونُ‎; أَعْيُنُ ʕuyūnu‎; ʔaʕyunu
accusative	عُيُونًا‎; أَعْيُنًا ʕuyūnan‎; ʔaʕyunan	الْعُيُونَ‎; الْأَعْيُنَ al-ʕuyūna‎; al-ʔaʕyuna	عُيُونَ‎; أَعْيُنَ ʕuyūna‎; ʔaʕyuna
genitive	عُيُونٍ‎; أَعْيُنٍ ʕuyūnin‎; ʔaʕyunin	الْعُيُونِ‎; الْأَعْيُنِ al-ʕuyūni‎; al-ʔaʕyuni	عُيُونِ‎; أَعْيُنِ ʕuyūni‎; ʔaʕyuni

Descendants

• Algerian Arabic: عين (ʕīn)
• Egyptian Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
• Gulf Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
• Libyan Arabic: عين (ʕīn, ʕēn)
• Maltese: għajn
• Moroccan Arabic: عين (ʕayn, ʕīn)
• North Levantine Arabic: عين (ʕayn, ʕēn)
• South Levantine Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
• Tunisian Arabic: عين (ʕīn)
• → Classical Persian: عَیْن (ayn)
  • Tajik: айн (ayn)
  • → Hindustani:

    Hindi: ऐन (ain)

    Urdu: عَین ('ain)

• → Malay: عين (ain)

Noun

عَيْن • (ʕayn) m

1. verbal noun of عَانَ (ʕāna) (form I)

Declension

Declension of noun عَيْن (ʕayn)

singular	basic singular triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	عَيْن ʕayn	الْعَيْن al-ʕayn	عَيْن ʕayn
nominative	عَيْنٌ ʕaynun	الْعَيْنُ al-ʕaynu	عَيْنُ ʕaynu
accusative	عَيْنًا ʕaynan	الْعَيْنَ al-ʕayna	عَيْنَ ʕayna
genitive	عَيْنٍ ʕaynin	الْعَيْنِ al-ʕayni	عَيْنِ ʕayni

Etymology 3

Morphologically from the root ع ي ن (ʕ y n).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕajn/

Noun

عَيْن • (ʕayn) f (plural عَيْنَات (ʕaynāt))

1. Name of the eighteenth letter of the Arabic alphabet (ع (ʕ)), representing the sound /ʕ/

Declension

Declension of noun عَيْن (ʕayn)

singular	basic singular triptote
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	عَيْن ʕayn	الْعَيْن al-ʕayn	عَيْن ʕayn
nominative	عَيْنٌ ʕaynun	الْعَيْنُ al-ʕaynu	عَيْنُ ʕaynu
accusative	عَيْنًا ʕaynan	الْعَيْنَ al-ʕayna	عَيْنَ ʕayna
genitive	عَيْنٍ ʕaynin	الْعَيْنِ al-ʕayni	عَيْنِ ʕayni
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	عَيْنَيْن ʕaynayn	الْعَيْنَيْن al-ʕaynayn	عَيْنَيْ ʕaynay
nominative	عَيْنَانِ ʕaynāni	الْعَيْنَانِ al-ʕaynāni	عَيْنَا ʕaynā
accusative	عَيْنَيْنِ ʕaynayni	الْعَيْنَيْنِ al-ʕaynayni	عَيْنَيْ ʕaynay
genitive	عَيْنَيْنِ ʕaynayni	الْعَيْنَيْنِ al-ʕaynayni	عَيْنَيْ ʕaynay
plural	sound feminine plural
	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	عَيْنَات ʕaynāt	الْعَيْنَات al-ʕaynāt	عَيْنَات ʕaynāt
nominative	عَيْنَاتٌ ʕaynātun	الْعَيْنَاتُ al-ʕaynātu	عَيْنَاتُ ʕaynātu
accusative	عَيْنَاتٍ ʕaynātin	الْعَيْنَاتِ al-ʕaynāti	عَيْنَاتِ ʕaynāti
genitive	عَيْنَاتٍ ʕaynātin	الْعَيْنَاتِ al-ʕaynāti	عَيْنَاتِ ʕaynāti

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: eyn
• → Classical Persian: عَیْن (ayn)
  • Iranian Persian: عِیْن (eyn)
  • Tajik: айн (ayn)
• → Uzbek: ayn

References

• Wehr, Hans (1979) “عين”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN

Egyptian Arabic

Root
ع ي ن
1 term

Etymology

Inherited from Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕeːn/, [ʕeːn]

Noun

عين • (ʕēn) f (plural عُيون (ʕuyūn) or عِيون (ʕiyūn))

1. eye
2. (definite) the evil eye; envy

Hijazi Arabic

Root
ع ي ن
2 terms

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕeːn/, [ʕe̞ːn]

Noun

عين • (ʕēn) m (dual عينين (ʕēnēn), plural عِيُون (ʕiyūn) or عُيُون (ʕuyūn))

1. (anatomy) eye (organ)
2. spring (of water)
3. Name of the eighteenth letter of the Arabic alphabet (ع (ʕ)), representing the sound /ʕ/
4. envy, the evil eye

   Synonym: حسد (ḥasad)

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَيَّنَ (ʕayyana).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaj.jan/

Verb

عَيَّن • (ʕayyan) II (non-past يِعَيِّن (yiʕayyin))

1. to appoint, to assign, to name, to nominate

Conjugation

Conjugation of عين

		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	عينت (ʕayyant)	عينت (ʕayyant)	عين (ʕayyan)		عيننا (ʕayyanna)	عينتوا (ʕayyantu)	عينوا (ʕayyanu)
	f		عينتي (ʕayyanti)	عينت (ʕayyanat)
non-past	m	أعين (ʔaʕayyin)	تعين (tiʕayyin)	يعين (yiʕayyin)		نعين (niʕayyin)	تعينوا (tiʕayyinu)	يعينوا (yiʕayyinu)
	f		تعيني (tiʕayyini)	تعين (tiʕayyin)
imperative	m		عين (ʕayyin)				عينوا (ʕayyinu)
	f		عيني (ʕayyini)

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaj.jin/

Verb

عين • (ʕayyin)

1. second-person masculine singular imperative of عَيَّن (ʕayyan)

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕiːn/

Verb

عين • (ʕīn)

1. second-person masculine singular imperative of عان (ʕān)

Malay

Etymology

From Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn).

Pronunciation

• (Johor-Selangor) IPA^(key): /aen/
• (Riau-Lingga) IPA^(key): /aɪn/
• Rhymes: -aen, -en

Noun

عين (plural عين-عين or عين٢)

1. (anatomy) eye (organ)

   Synonym: مات (mata)

Moroccan Arabic

Root
ع ي ن
2 terms

Etymology

From Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕajn/, /ʕiːn/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

عَيْن or عِين • (ʕayn or ʕīn) f (dual عَيْنَين (ʕaynayn) or عِينَين (ʕīnayn), plural عيون (ʕyūn), diminutive عوينة (ʕwīna))

1. (anatomy) eye (organ)
2. spring (of water)
3. envy

   Synonym: حسد (ḥsad)

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn, “eye”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕeːn/
• (regional) IPA^(key): /ʕajn/

Noun

عين • (ʕayn, ʕēn) f (dual عينتين (ʕayntayn, ʕēntēn), plural عيون (ʕyūn) or عينين (ʕaynayn, ʕēnēn))

1. (anatomy) eye (organ)
2. (especially when definite) evil eye

Usage notes

• The two plurals are interchangeable. عيون (ʕyūn) sees more usage than عينين (ʕaynayn) in Lebanon.

Related terms

• عوينات (ʕwaynāt, ʕwēnāt, “glasses”)

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn, “spring, eye”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕeːn/
• (regional) IPA^(key): /ʕajn/

Noun

عين • (ʕayn, ʕēn) f (plural عيون (ʕyūn))

1. spring (of water)

Usage notes

• Forms many village names.

Etymology 3

Synchronically a denominal verb of عين (ʕayn, ʕēn, “eye”). Also inherited from Arabic عَيَّنَ (ʕayyana). Sense "to specify" is derived from or related to مْعَيَّن، مُعَيَّن (mʕayyan, muʕayyan, “specific”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaj.jan/

Verb

عين • (ʕayyan) (non-past يعين (yʕayyin), verbal noun تعيين (taʕyīn, tiʕyīn), active participle معيَّن (mʕayyan) or معيِّن (mʕayyin))

1. to eyeball (gauge by eye, estimate)
2. to specify
3. [with على (ʕala) ‘on’] to have one's eye on

South Levantine Arabic

Root
ع ي ن
2 terms

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَيَّنَ (ʕayyana).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaj.jan/, [ˈʕaj.jan]

• Audio (al-Lidd):

  (file)

Verb

عيّن • (ʕayyan) II (present بعيّن (biʕayyen))

1. to appoint, to assign, to set

Conjugation

Conjugation of عين

		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	عيّنت (ʕayyant)	عيّنت (ʕayyant)	عيّن (ʕayyan)		عيّننا (ʕayyanna)	عيّنتو (ʕayyantu)	عيّنو (ʕayyanu)
	f		عيّنتي (ʕayyanti)	عيّنت (ʕayyanat)
present	m	بعيّن (baʕayyin)	بتعيّن (bitʕayyin)	بعيّن (biʕayyin)		منعيّن (minʕayyin)	بتعيّنو (bitʕayynu)	بعيّنو (biʕayynu)
	f		بتعيّني (bitʕayyni)	بتعيّن (bitʕayyin)
subjunctive	m	اعيّن (aʕayyin)	تعيّن (tʕayyin)	يعيّن (yʕayyin)		نعيّن (nʕayyin)	تعيّنو (tʕayynu)	يعيّنو (yʕayynu)
	f		تعيّني (tʕayyni)	تعيّن (tʕayyin)
imperative	m		عيّن (ʕayyin)				عيّنو (ʕayynu)
	f		عيّني (ʕayyni)

Etymology 2

Picture dictionary

عين

جمجمة

مخ

عين

شفة

منخار

تم

دقن

فك

دان

صدغ

رقبة

Click on labels in the image

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جسم

جسم

From Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕeːn/, [ʕeːn]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Noun

عين • (ʕēn) f (dual عينتين (ʕēntēn), plural عينين (ʕīnēn) or عيون (ʕyūn))

1. eye (organ)

Related terms

• جفن (jifn, “eyelid”), حاجب (ḥājeb, “eyebrow”), رمش (ramš, “eyelash”)