شَعْبٌ
Root: شعب
Full Definition
شَعْبٌ
Verbal.Noun of شَعَبَ [q. v.].
2 [Used as a simple subst., it signifies Collection, or union: and also separation, division, or disunion; and] a state of separation or division or disunion; as also شُعْبَةٌ : pl. of the former شُعُوبٌ.
3 And [hence, perhaps, as implying both union and division,] Such as is divided [into sub-tribes], of the tribes of the Arabs and foreigners: (S: [in my copy of the Msb, ما انقسمت فيه قبائل العرب, as though it meant the tribes of the Arabs collectively, agreeably with another explanation to be mentioned below; but I think that there may be a mistranscription in this case:]) pl. شُعُوبٌ: or it signifies, as some say, or signifies also, a great tribe; syn. قَبِيلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ, or حَىٌّ عَظِيمٌ; the parent of the [tribes called] قَبَائِل, to which they refer their origin, and which comprises them: or, as some say, a great tribe (حَىٌّ عَظِيمٌ) forming a branch of a قَبِيلَة: or a قَبِيلَة itself: A' Obeyd says, on the authority of Ibn-El-Kelbee, on the authority of his father, that the شَعْب is greater than the قَبِيلَة; next to which is the فَصِيلَة; then, the عَمَارَة; then, the بَطْن; then, the فَخِذ: but IB says that the true order is that which Ez-Zubeyr Ibn-Bekkár has stated, and is as follows: [i. e.] the genealogies of the Arabs consist of six degrees; first, the شَعْب; then, the قَبِيلَة; then, the عَمَارَة, with fet-h and with kesr, to the ع; then, the بَطْن; then, the فَخِذ; and then, the فَصيلَة: thus, Khuzeymeh is a شعب; and Kináneh, a قبيلَة; and Kureysh, an عمارة; and Kuseí, a بطن; and Háshim, a فخذ; and El-'Abbás, a فصيلة: and Aboo-Usámeh says that these classes are agreeable with the order obtaining in the structure of man; the شعب is the greatest of them, derived from the شَعْب [or suture] of the head; next is the قبيلة, from the قبيلة [which is a term applied to any one of the four principal bones] of the head; then, the عمارة, which is the breast; then, the بطن [or belly]; then, the فخذ [or thigh]; and then, the فصيلة, which is the shank: to these some add the عَشِتيرَة, which consists of few in comparison with what are before mentioned: and some add after this the رَهْط: some also add the جِذْم before the شعب: (TA in art. بطن:) the pl. is as above. It signifies also A nation, people, race, or family of mankind; syn. جِيلٌ; as expl. by IM and others: in the K, [and in a copy of the A,] erroneously, جَبَل [a mountain]: but it is [strangely] said by Aboo-'Obeyd El-Bekree that accord. to all except Bundár, the word in this sense is شِعْبٌ , with kesr. And the pl., شُعُوبٌ, is [said to be] especially applied to denote the foreigners (العَجَم): [thus it is said that] the phrase, in a trad., إِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الشُّعُوبِ أَسْلَمَ means [Verily a man] of the foreigners (العَجَم) [became a Muslim: but see الشُّعُوبِيَّةُ].
4 Also, [as implying separation,] Distance, or remoteness. So in the phrase شَعْبُ الدَّارِ [The distance, or remoteness, of the abode, or dwelling].
5 And A crack in a thing, which the شَعَّاب repairs.
6 And The place of junction [i. e. the suture] of the قَبَائِل [or principal bones] of the head; the شَأْن which conjoins the قبائل of the head: the قبائل in the head being [the frontal bone, the occipital bone, and the two parietal bones; in all,] four in number.
7 [Hence, perhaps,] هُمَا شَعْبَانِ They two are likes [or like each other].
8 See also شِعْبٌ.
def.2 Also Distant, or remote; as in the phrase مَآءٌ شَعْبٌ [Distant, or remote, water]: pl. شُعُوبٌ.
2 [Used as a simple subst., it signifies Collection, or union: and also separation, division, or disunion; and] a state of separation or division or disunion; as also شُعْبَةٌ : pl. of the former شُعُوبٌ.
3 And [hence, perhaps, as implying both union and division,] Such as is divided [into sub-tribes], of the tribes of the Arabs and foreigners: (S: [in my copy of the Msb, ما انقسمت فيه قبائل العرب, as though it meant the tribes of the Arabs collectively, agreeably with another explanation to be mentioned below; but I think that there may be a mistranscription in this case:]) pl. شُعُوبٌ: or it signifies, as some say, or signifies also, a great tribe; syn. قَبِيلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ, or حَىٌّ عَظِيمٌ; the parent of the [tribes called] قَبَائِل, to which they refer their origin, and which comprises them: or, as some say, a great tribe (حَىٌّ عَظِيمٌ) forming a branch of a قَبِيلَة: or a قَبِيلَة itself: A' Obeyd says, on the authority of Ibn-El-Kelbee, on the authority of his father, that the شَعْب is greater than the قَبِيلَة; next to which is the فَصِيلَة; then, the عَمَارَة; then, the بَطْن; then, the فَخِذ: but IB says that the true order is that which Ez-Zubeyr Ibn-Bekkár has stated, and is as follows: [i. e.] the genealogies of the Arabs consist of six degrees; first, the شَعْب; then, the قَبِيلَة; then, the عَمَارَة, with fet-h and with kesr, to the ع; then, the بَطْن; then, the فَخِذ; and then, the فَصيلَة: thus, Khuzeymeh is a شعب; and Kináneh, a قبيلَة; and Kureysh, an عمارة; and Kuseí, a بطن; and Háshim, a فخذ; and El-'Abbás, a فصيلة: and Aboo-Usámeh says that these classes are agreeable with the order obtaining in the structure of man; the شعب is the greatest of them, derived from the شَعْب [or suture] of the head; next is the قبيلة, from the قبيلة [which is a term applied to any one of the four principal bones] of the head; then, the عمارة, which is the breast; then, the بطن [or belly]; then, the فخذ [or thigh]; and then, the فصيلة, which is the shank: to these some add the عَشِتيرَة, which consists of few in comparison with what are before mentioned: and some add after this the رَهْط: some also add the جِذْم before the شعب: (TA in art. بطن:) the pl. is as above. It signifies also A nation, people, race, or family of mankind; syn. جِيلٌ; as expl. by IM and others: in the K, [and in a copy of the A,] erroneously, جَبَل [a mountain]: but it is [strangely] said by Aboo-'Obeyd El-Bekree that accord. to all except Bundár, the word in this sense is شِعْبٌ , with kesr. And the pl., شُعُوبٌ, is [said to be] especially applied to denote the foreigners (العَجَم): [thus it is said that] the phrase, in a trad., إِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الشُّعُوبِ أَسْلَمَ means [Verily a man] of the foreigners (العَجَم) [became a Muslim: but see الشُّعُوبِيَّةُ].
4 Also, [as implying separation,] Distance, or remoteness. So in the phrase شَعْبُ الدَّارِ [The distance, or remoteness, of the abode, or dwelling].
5 And A crack in a thing, which the شَعَّاب repairs.
6 And The place of junction [i. e. the suture] of the قَبَائِل [or principal bones] of the head; the شَأْن which conjoins the قبائل of the head: the قبائل in the head being [the frontal bone, the occipital bone, and the two parietal bones; in all,] four in number.
7 [Hence, perhaps,] هُمَا شَعْبَانِ
8 See also شِعْبٌ.
def.2 Also Distant, or remote; as in the phrase مَآءٌ شَعْبٌ [Distant, or remote, water]: pl. شُعُوبٌ.