Glossary of Arabic toponyms

The glossary of Arabic toponyms gives translations of Arabic terms found in Arabic toponyms. A significant number of them were put together during the PEF Survey of Palestine carried out in the second half of the 19th century.

PEF Survey of Western Palestine Key Map

A
'Ain, pl.: `Ayūn, ʿUyūn
Spring, fountain, source.[1] Examples: El Aaiún
Ab, Abu
Father; as a geographical term it signifies "producing", "containing", etc.;[1]
  • All pages with titles containing Ab
  • All pages with titles containing Abu
Arak, pl.: Arkan
Cavern or cliff (among various meanings);[1] see All pages with titles containing Arak

B
Bab, pl.: Buwab
Gate.[1] Examples Bab el-Mandeb; see All pages with titles containing Bab
Bahr
Arabic: بحر - Sea, large river.[1] see All pages with titles containing Bahr
Beit
House.[1] see All pages with titles containing Beit
Balad
Arabic: بلد (sometimes transliterated as Beled or Belled) - Town;[1] see All pages with titles containing Balad
Bir
Arabic: بير, Well;[1] see All pages with titles containing Bir
Birkeh
Artificial pool, tank;[1] see All pages with titles containing Birkeh
Buhayra, Baheirah
Arabic: بحيرة, Lake, lagoon;[1] Diminutive of بَحْر (baḥr, “sea”).
Burj
Arabic: برج, Tower, castle;[1] see All pages with titles containing Burj

D
Deir
wikt:دير monastery, convent, cloister (often ruins thereof);[1] see All pages with titles containing Deir
Derb
wikt:درب road, pass;[1] see All pages with titles containing Derb
Dhahr
wikt: ridge;[1] see All pages with titles containing Dhahr

I
Ibn
Son; as a geographical term it signifies "producing", "containing", etc.;[1] see All pages with titles containing Ibn

J
Jama'a, Djama'a, Jami'a
place of gathering, community, mosque;[1]
  • All pages with titles containing Jama'a
  • All pages with titles containing Jami'a
Jebel, Djebel, Jebal, Jabal
mountain;[1]
  • All pages with titles containing Jabal
  • All pages with titles containing Jebal
  • All pages with titles containing Jebel
  • All pages with titles containing Djebel

M
Mazar
مزار: shrine, grave, tomb, etc. cf. "Mazar (mausoleum)". The placename usually refers to a grave of a saint, ruler, etc.. Examples: Mazar-i-Sharif
  • All pages with titles containing Mazar
Mazra', Mazra'a, Al-Mazra'a, Mazraa
مزرعة, mazraʿa: farm, مزرع, mazraʿ: field, farmland, origin for majra, hamlet in Indian subcontinent[2]

N
Nahr
wikt:نهر, river, e.g., Nahr-e Mian; see All pages with titles containing Nahr-e

Q
Qabr, Kabr, pl.:Qubūr
Arabic: قَبْر, pl. Arabic: قُبُور Tomb, grave[1]
  • All pages with titles containing Qabr
  • All pages with titles containing Qubur
Qalat, Qala
fort, fortress, castle;[3] see All pages with titles containing Qalat

U
Umm
Mother; as a geographical term it signifies "producing", "containing", etc. cf. "Mother of all";[1] see All pages with titles containing Umm

See also

References
  1. PEF Survey of Western Palestine Key Map
  2. Mohd Siddiqi 1982, p. 335.
  3. Husain Siddiqi & Bastian 1985, p. 74.

Sources
  • Husain Siddiqi, Akhtar; Bastian, Robert W. (1985). "Urban Place Names in Pakistan: A Reflection of Cultural Characteristics". Names. 29 (1): 65–84. OCLC 500207327.
  • Mohd Siddiqi, Jamal (1982). Significance of technical terms in place names—a case-study of Aligarh District. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. Vol. 43. pp. 332–341. JSTOR 44141245.
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