صَيْرَفِىٌّ
Root: صرف
Full Definition
صَيْرَفِىٌّ
i. q.
صَرَّافٌ , or صَرَّافُ
دَرَاهِمَ, and so
صَيْرَفٌ , i. e. A money-changer; except that صَرَّافٌ has an intensive signification [app. as meaning a skilful money-changer, and hence it is often used in the present day as meaning a banker]: all are applied to him who knows and distinguishes the relative excellence, or superiority, of pieces of money: these appellations are from المُصَارَفَةُ, or from التَّصَرُّفُ, or from صَرْفٌ meaning “ excellence, ” or “ superiority, ” of one dirhem [or deenár] over another, because such as excels, or is superior, is turned aside from the deficient: the pl. is صَيَارِفَةٌ and صَيَارِفُ and صَيَارِيفُ, this last occurring in poetry, by poetic license, for the sake of the measure.
2 See also صَيْرَفٌ.
2 See also صَيْرَفٌ.
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