مثال

Arabic

Etymology

From the root م ث ل (m-ṯ-l). Compare Hebrew מָשָׁל (“example, allegory”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mi.θaːl/

Noun

مِثَال • (miṯāl) m (plural أَمْثِلَة (ʔamṯila) or مُثُل (muṯul) or مُثْل (muṯl))

1. verbal noun of مَاثَلَ (māṯala) (form III)
2. resemblance, anything equal or similar
3. image, type, model, example, specimen
4. pattern, standard
5. form, formula, formulary
6. simile, allegory, parable, fable, tale
7. vision in a dream
8. manner, method
9. definite quantity
10. order, command, written order
11. retaliation
12. (grammar) assimilated verb (beginning with و (w) or ي (y))
13. bed, carpet

Declension

Declension of noun مِثَال (miṯāl)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	مِثَال miṯāl	الْمِثَال al-miṯāl	مِثَال miṯāl
Nominative	مِثَالٌ miṯālun	الْمِثَالُ al-miṯālu	مِثَالُ miṯālu
Accusative	مِثَالًا miṯālan	الْمِثَالَ al-miṯāla	مِثَالَ miṯāla
Genitive	مِثَالٍ miṯālin	الْمِثَالِ al-miṯāli	مِثَالِ miṯāli
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	مِثَالَيْن miṯālayn	الْمِثَالَيْن al-miṯālayn	مِثَالَيْ miṯālay
Nominative	مِثَالَانِ miṯālāni	الْمِثَالَانِ al-miṯālāni	مِثَالَا miṯālā
Accusative	مِثَالَيْنِ miṯālayni	الْمِثَالَيْنِ al-miṯālayni	مِثَالَيْ miṯālay
Genitive	مِثَالَيْنِ miṯālayni	الْمِثَالَيْنِ al-miṯālayni	مِثَالَيْ miṯālay
Plural	broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)‎; basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	أَمْثِلَة‎; مُثُل‎; مُثْل ʔamṯila‎; muṯul‎; muṯl	الْأَمْثِلَة‎; الْمُثُل‎; الْمُثْل al-ʔamṯila‎; al-muṯul‎; al-muṯl	أَمْثِلَة‎; مُثُل‎; مُثْل ʔamṯilat‎; muṯul‎; muṯl
Nominative	أَمْثِلَةٌ‎; مُثُلٌ‎; مُثْلٌ ʔamṯilatun‎; muṯulun‎; muṯlun	الْأَمْثِلَةُ‎; الْمُثُلُ‎; الْمُثْلُ al-ʔamṯilatu‎; al-muṯulu‎; al-muṯlu	أَمْثِلَةُ‎; مُثُلُ‎; مُثْلُ ʔamṯilatu‎; muṯulu‎; muṯlu
Accusative	أَمْثِلَةً‎; مُثُلًا‎; مُثْلًا ʔamṯilatan‎; muṯulan‎; muṯlan	الْأَمْثِلَةَ‎; الْمُثُلَ‎; الْمُثْلَ al-ʔamṯilata‎; al-muṯula‎; al-muṯla	أَمْثِلَةَ‎; مُثُلَ‎; مُثْلَ ʔamṯilata‎; muṯula‎; muṯla
Genitive	أَمْثِلَةٍ‎; مُثُلٍ‎; مُثْلٍ ʔamṯilatin‎; muṯulin‎; muṯlin	الْأَمْثِلَةِ‎; الْمُثُلِ‎; الْمُثْلِ al-ʔamṯilati‎; al-muṯuli‎; al-muṯli	أَمْثِلَةِ‎; مُثُلِ‎; مُثْلِ ʔamṯilati‎; muṯuli‎; muṯli

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: misal
• → Baluchi: مثال (misál)
• → Hijazi Arabic: مثال (miṯāl)
• → Malay: misal
• → Persian: مثال (mesâl)
• → Turkish: misal

References

• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1884) “مثال”, in The Student's Arabic–English Dictionary‎^[1], London: W.H. Allen
• Wehr, Hans (1979) “مثل”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN

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Baluchi

Etymology

From Arabic مِثَال (miṯāl).

Noun

مثال • (misál)

1. example

See also

• نمونہ (namuna)

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Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic مِثَال (miṯāl).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /miˈθaːl/
  • IPA^(key): /miˈsaːl/ (speakers with full /θ/ and /s/ merger)

Noun

مثال • (miṯāl) m (plural أمثلة (amṯila))

1. example, model, specimen

See also

• مَثَل (maṯal, “proverb, saying”)

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Persian

Etymology

From Arabic مِثَال (miṯāl).

Pronunciation

Readings
Classical reading?	m
Dari reading?	m
Iranian reading?	m
Tajik reading?	m

Noun

Dari	مثال
Iranian Persian
Tajik	мисол

مثال • (mesâl) (plural مثال‌ها (mesâl-hâ))

1. example

   برای مثال ― barâ-ye mesâl ― for example

2. parable
   • c. 1260s, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, translated by Reynold A. Nicholson, مثنوی معنوی, volume IV, verse 456:

     این مثال جان حیوانی بود / نه مثال جان ربانی بود

     in mesâl-e jân-e heyvâni bovad / na mesâl-e jân-e rabbâni bovad

     This is a parable of the animal soul, not a parable of the divine soul.

3. resemblance, likeness
4. (archaic) order, command, especially written order
   • 11th century, Abu'l-Fażl Bayhaqi, edited by Ali-Akbar Fayyaz, Tarikh-i Bayhaqi, page 82:

     من رفتم سوی هرات، و چنان گمان می‌برم که دیدارِ من با تو و با خانگیان با قیامت افتاده است، از آن بود که در هر بابی مثالی نبود.

     man raftam suy-e herât, va čonân gomân mi-baram ke didâr-e man bâ to va bâ xânegiyân bâ qiyâmat oftâde ast, az ân bovad ke dar har bâb-i mesâl-i na-bovad.

     I started leaving for Herat, and I conjecture that I would visit you and the relatives in the judgment day [I would be killed], that is why there is not an order [I am not issuing order] for every matter.