سوس

See also: شوس and شوش

Arabic

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Aramaic שׁוּשָׁא / ܫܽܘܫܳܐ (šūšā, “licorice”), from Akkadian 𒄑𒊺𒆕𒀀 (šūšum, “licorice”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /suːs/

Noun

سُوس • (sūs) m

1. licorice
   • 2016 November 24, “شراب عرق السوس”, in ʾuḥibbu Dimašq‎^[1], archived from the original on 15-08-2019:

     يعتبر نبات السوس الدمشقي من أفضل الأنواع في العالم، ويسمى الشراب الذي يقطر يدويا من جذوره شراب عرق السوس وهو مفضل لدى الدمشقيين.‏

     The Damascene liquorice plant is esteemed to be of the most excellent sorts of the world, and the drink which is dropped by hand from its roots is called liquorice stem and the Damascenes are fond of it.

Declension

Declension of noun سُوس (sūs)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سُوس sūs	السُّوس as-sūs	سُوس sūs
Nominative	سُوسٌ sūsun	السُّوسُ as-sūsu	سُوسُ sūsu
Accusative	سُوسًا sūsan	السُّوسَ as-sūsa	سُوسَ sūsa
Genitive	سُوسٍ sūsin	السُّوسِ as-sūsi	سُوسِ sūsi

Descendants

• →⇒ Portuguese: alcaçuz
• →⇒ Spanish: alcazuz, orozuz

Etymology 2

Typically declared as inherited from Proto-Semitic *sūs- (“moth; insect especially one that bites or chews up materials”), from Proto-Afroasiatic *suʔw- (“a kind of insect”), cognates with Akkadian 𒌨𒈨 (sāsum, “moth; biting insect”), Jewish Babylonian Aramaic ססא (sāsā), Hebrew סָס (sās), Classical Syriac ܣܣܐ (sāsā), and often also Ge'ez ፃፄ (ṣ́aṣ́e, “moth, worm”), ጻጹት (ṣaṣut, “gnat; red ant”), akin to Amharic ጭጫት (č̣əč̣at), ጨጫት (č̣äč̣at), ጬጫ (č̣eč̣a), ጭጫን (č̣əč̣an), ጬጫን (č̣eč̣an, “ant or a type of ant”), Tigrinya ሺሾ (šišo, “colony of ants or termites; large black ant with painful bite”), Tigre ሻሽንቴ (šašənte, “ants”).

Aramaic borrowing into Arabic is at least possible if one espouses a phonologic value /ɔː/ for ā in ancient Ḥijāzi dialects of Arabic, that later merged into /uː/ in the standard, as assumed for قَيُّوم (qayyūm) and جَار (jār). The proposed Proto-Semitic shape, whether it be *sūs-, or *sās-, two identical consonants connected by a long vowel forming the noun’s stem, strains credibility, and the same authors imagine legitimate ancestry of نُون (nūn, unknown meaning) and تُوت (tūt, “mulberry”). In comparison, the moth term also appears loaned in Ancient Greek σής (sḗs) and Old Armenian ցեց (cʻecʻ).

Pronunciation

• Noun: IPA^(key): /suːs/
• Verb: IPA^(key): /sa.wi.sa/

Noun

سُوس • (sūs) m (collective, singulative سُوسَة f (sūsa), plural سِيسَان (sīsān))

1. maggot, moth-worm, woodworm, curculio, weevil
2. mite
3. rot, decay
   • c. 1200, يحيى بن محمد بن أحمد بن العوام [yaḥyā ibn muḥammad ibn ʔaḥmad ibn al-ʕawwām], edited by José Antonio Banqueri, كتاب الفلاحة [Book on Agriculture], volume 1, Madrid: Imprenta Real, published 1802^IA, Cap. 9, Art. 1, page 508:

     الإجاص قال غ وهو عبقر إذا أشرف وقدم فلا يتعرض عليه بالحديد فإن دعت ضرورة لقطع أعلاه فينظر شجرته فإن ظهر فيها السوس فتحامى بالقطع ولا تقرب بالحديد بوجه وتنقى ما دام أملس الساق والأغصان محدثا.

     About the prune, that is the plum, says Ibn Ḥajjāj that when it is high and old it should not meet the iron, but if necessity calls then the top can be cut and the tree cleaned, and if rot appears on it then it can be warded off by cutting, and the iron should not approach it as long as the stem is smooth and the branches new.

4. often used when referring to bacteria gnawing the teeth
   • 2018 June 12, “5 أسباب وراء الاضطرار لخلع الأسنان”, in Al-Bawwāba News‎^[2]:

     قال باسم سمير، استشاري الأسنان، أن البكتيريا النافعة المتواجدة في الفم، تعمل على تكسير مكونات الطعام وبالتالى الإسراع من هضمه، لكن إن زادت عن حدها تحولت إلى سوس يأكل في الأسنان.‏

     Bāsim Samīr, a teeth consultant, said that useful bacteria found in the mouth work towards the decomposition of food components and hence towards speeding up their digestion, but when they grow about their limit they become a caries that eats from the teeth.

Declension

Declension of noun سُوس (sūs)

Collective	basic collective triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سُوس sūs	السُّوس as-sūs	سُوس sūs
Nominative	سُوسٌ sūsun	السُّوسُ as-sūsu	سُوسُ sūsu
Accusative	سُوسًا sūsan	السُّوسَ as-sūsa	سُوسَ sūsa
Genitive	سُوسٍ sūsin	السُّوسِ as-sūsi	سُوسِ sūsi
Singulative	singulative triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سُوسَة sūsa	السُّوسَة as-sūsa	سُوسَة sūsat
Nominative	سُوسَةٌ sūsatun	السُّوسَةُ as-sūsatu	سُوسَةُ sūsatu
Accusative	سُوسَةً sūsatan	السُّوسَةَ as-sūsata	سُوسَةَ sūsata
Genitive	سُوسَةٍ sūsatin	السُّوسَةِ as-sūsati	سُوسَةِ sūsati
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سُوسَتَيْن sūsatayn	السُّوسَتَيْن as-sūsatayn	سُوسَتَيْ sūsatay
Nominative	سُوسَتَانِ sūsatāni	السُّوسَتَانِ as-sūsatāni	سُوسَتَا sūsatā
Accusative	سُوسَتَيْنِ sūsatayni	السُّوسَتَيْنِ as-sūsatayni	سُوسَتَيْ sūsatay
Genitive	سُوسَتَيْنِ sūsatayni	السُّوسَتَيْنِ as-sūsatayni	سُوسَتَيْ sūsatay
Paucal (3-10)	sound feminine paucal
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سُوسَات sūsāt	السُّوسَات as-sūsāt	سُوسَات sūsāt
Nominative	سُوسَاتٌ sūsātun	السُّوسَاتُ as-sūsātu	سُوسَاتُ sūsātu
Accusative	سُوسَاتٍ sūsātin	السُّوسَاتِ as-sūsāti	سُوسَاتِ sūsāti
Genitive	سُوسَاتٍ sūsātin	السُّوسَاتِ as-sūsāti	سُوسَاتِ sūsāti
Plural of variety	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	سِيسَان sīsān	السِّيسَان as-sīsān	سِيسَان sīsān
Nominative	سِيسَانٌ sīsānun	السِّيسَانُ as-sīsānu	سِيسَانُ sīsānu
Accusative	سِيسَانًا sīsānan	السِّيسَانَ as-sīsāna	سِيسَانَ sīsāna
Genitive	سِيسَانٍ sīsānin	السِّيسَانِ as-sīsāni	سِيسَانِ sīsāni

Derived terms

• سَوِسَ (sawisa, “to be affected by worms”)
• تَسَوَّسَ (tasawwasa, “to be affected by worms”)
• تَسَوُّس (tasawwus, “mouth cavities”)

Descendants

• → Amharic: ሹሽ (šuš, šušš)
• → Harari: ሱስ (sūs)
• → Mehri: sust

Verb

سَوِسَ • (sawisa) I, non-past يَسْوَسُ‎ (yaswasu)

1. (intransitive) to be gnawed, to be eaten away, to be rotten (especially by moth-worms or weevils)

Conjugation

Conjugation of

سَوِسَ

(form-I sound, verbal noun سَوَس)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						سَوَس sawas
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						سَاوِس sāwis
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	سَوِسْتُ sawistu	سَوِسْتَ sawista	سَوِسَ sawisa		سَوِسْتُمَا sawistumā	سَوِسَا sawisā		سَوِسْنَا sawisnā	سَوِسْتُمْ sawistum	سَوِسُوا sawisū
	f		سَوِسْتِ sawisti	سَوِسَتْ sawisat			سَوِسَتَا sawisatā			سَوِسْتُنَّ sawistunna	سَوِسْنَ sawisna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَسْوَسُ ʔaswasu	تَسْوَسُ taswasu	يَسْوَسُ yaswasu		تَسْوَسَانِ taswasāni	يَسْوَسَانِ yaswasāni		نَسْوَسُ naswasu	تَسْوَسُونَ taswasūna	يَسْوَسُونَ yaswasūna
	f		تَسْوَسِينَ taswasīna	تَسْوَسُ taswasu			تَسْوَسَانِ taswasāni			تَسْوَسْنَ taswasna	يَسْوَسْنَ yaswasna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَسْوَسَ ʔaswasa	تَسْوَسَ taswasa	يَسْوَسَ yaswasa		تَسْوَسَا taswasā	يَسْوَسَا yaswasā		نَسْوَسَ naswasa	تَسْوَسُوا taswasū	يَسْوَسُوا yaswasū
	f		تَسْوَسِي taswasī	تَسْوَسَ taswasa			تَسْوَسَا taswasā			تَسْوَسْنَ taswasna	يَسْوَسْنَ yaswasna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَسْوَسْ ʔaswas	تَسْوَسْ taswas	يَسْوَسْ yaswas		تَسْوَسَا taswasā	يَسْوَسَا yaswasā		نَسْوَسْ naswas	تَسْوَسُوا taswasū	يَسْوَسُوا yaswasū
	f		تَسْوَسِي taswasī	تَسْوَسْ taswas			تَسْوَسَا taswasā			تَسْوَسْنَ taswasna	يَسْوَسْنَ yaswasna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِسْوَسْ iswas			اِسْوَسَا iswasā				اِسْوَسُوا iswasū
	f		اِسْوَسِي iswasī							اِسْوَسْنَ iswasna

Etymology 3

Root
س و س (s-w-s)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saw.wa.sa/

Verb

سَوَّسَ • (sawwasa) II, non-past يُسَوِّسُ‎ (yusawwisu)

1. (ditransitive) to give someone regimen over, to let govern [+ لِ (object) = who shall govern] [+accusative = what shall be governed]

Conjugation

Conjugation of

سَوَّسَ

(form-II sound)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						تَسْوِيس taswīs
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُسَوِّس musawwis
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُسَوَّس musawwas
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	سَوَّسْتُ sawwastu	سَوَّسْتَ sawwasta	سَوَّسَ sawwasa		سَوَّسْتُمَا sawwastumā	سَوَّسَا sawwasā		سَوَّسْنَا sawwasnā	سَوَّسْتُمْ sawwastum	سَوَّسُوا sawwasū
	f		سَوَّسْتِ sawwasti	سَوَّسَتْ sawwasat			سَوَّسَتَا sawwasatā			سَوَّسْتُنَّ sawwastunna	سَوَّسْنَ sawwasna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُسَوِّسُ ʔusawwisu	تُسَوِّسُ tusawwisu	يُسَوِّسُ yusawwisu		تُسَوِّسَانِ tusawwisāni	يُسَوِّسَانِ yusawwisāni		نُسَوِّسُ nusawwisu	تُسَوِّسُونَ tusawwisūna	يُسَوِّسُونَ yusawwisūna
	f		تُسَوِّسِينَ tusawwisīna	تُسَوِّسُ tusawwisu			تُسَوِّسَانِ tusawwisāni			تُسَوِّسْنَ tusawwisna	يُسَوِّسْنَ yusawwisna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُسَوِّسَ ʔusawwisa	تُسَوِّسَ tusawwisa	يُسَوِّسَ yusawwisa		تُسَوِّسَا tusawwisā	يُسَوِّسَا yusawwisā		نُسَوِّسَ nusawwisa	تُسَوِّسُوا tusawwisū	يُسَوِّسُوا yusawwisū
	f		تُسَوِّسِي tusawwisī	تُسَوِّسَ tusawwisa			تُسَوِّسَا tusawwisā			تُسَوِّسْنَ tusawwisna	يُسَوِّسْنَ yusawwisna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُسَوِّسْ ʔusawwis	تُسَوِّسْ tusawwis	يُسَوِّسْ yusawwis		تُسَوِّسَا tusawwisā	يُسَوِّسَا yusawwisā		نُسَوِّسْ nusawwis	تُسَوِّسُوا tusawwisū	يُسَوِّسُوا yusawwisū
	f		تُسَوِّسِي tusawwisī	تُسَوِّسْ tusawwis			تُسَوِّسَا tusawwisā			تُسَوِّسْنَ tusawwisna	يُسَوِّسْنَ yusawwisna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		سَوِّسْ sawwis			سَوِّسَا sawwisā				سَوِّسُوا sawwisū
	f		سَوِّسِي sawwisī							سَوِّسْنَ sawwisna
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	سُوِّسْتُ suwwistu	سُوِّسْتَ suwwista	سُوِّسَ suwwisa		سُوِّسْتُمَا suwwistumā	سُوِّسَا suwwisā		سُوِّسْنَا suwwisnā	سُوِّسْتُمْ suwwistum	سُوِّسُوا suwwisū
	f		سُوِّسْتِ suwwisti	سُوِّسَتْ suwwisat			سُوِّسَتَا suwwisatā			سُوِّسْتُنَّ suwwistunna	سُوِّسْنَ suwwisna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُسَوَّسُ ʔusawwasu	تُسَوَّسُ tusawwasu	يُسَوَّسُ yusawwasu		تُسَوَّسَانِ tusawwasāni	يُسَوَّسَانِ yusawwasāni		نُسَوَّسُ nusawwasu	تُسَوَّسُونَ tusawwasūna	يُسَوَّسُونَ yusawwasūna
	f		تُسَوَّسِينَ tusawwasīna	تُسَوَّسُ tusawwasu			تُسَوَّسَانِ tusawwasāni			تُسَوَّسْنَ tusawwasna	يُسَوَّسْنَ yusawwasna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُسَوَّسَ ʔusawwasa	تُسَوَّسَ tusawwasa	يُسَوَّسَ yusawwasa		تُسَوَّسَا tusawwasā	يُسَوَّسَا yusawwasā		نُسَوَّسَ nusawwasa	تُسَوَّسُوا tusawwasū	يُسَوَّسُوا yusawwasū
	f		تُسَوَّسِي tusawwasī	تُسَوَّسَ tusawwasa			تُسَوَّسَا tusawwasā			تُسَوَّسْنَ tusawwasna	يُسَوَّسْنَ yusawwasna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُسَوَّسْ ʔusawwas	تُسَوَّسْ tusawwas	يُسَوَّسْ yusawwas		تُسَوَّسَا tusawwasā	يُسَوَّسَا yusawwasā		نُسَوَّسْ nusawwas	تُسَوَّسُوا tusawwasū	يُسَوَّسُوا yusawwasū
	f		تُسَوَّسِي tusawwasī	تُسَوَّسْ tusawwas			تُسَوَّسَا tusawwasā			تُسَوَّسْنَ tusawwasna	يُسَوَّسْنَ yusawwasna

References

• Freytag, Georg (1833) “سوس”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum‎^[3] (in Latin), volume 2, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, page 375
• Lane, Edward William (1863) “سوس”, in Arabic-English Lexicon‎^[4], London: Williams & Norgate, pages 1465–1466
• Löw, Immanuel (1924) Die Flora der Juden‎^[5] (in German), volume 2, Wien und Leipzig: R. Löwit, pages 435–437
• Löw, Immanuel (1881) Aramæische Pflanzennamen‎^[6] (in German), Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann, pages 378–379
• Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2005) “*sā/ūs- ~ *cā/ūc-”, in Semitic Etymological Dictionary, volume II: Animal Names, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, →ISBN, pages 259–261
• Wehr, Hans with Kropfitsch, Lorenz (1985) “سوس”, in Arabisches Wörterbuch für die Schriftsprache der Gegenwart‎^[7] (in German), 5th edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, published 2011, →ISBN, pages 612–613
• Zimmern, Heinrich (1915) Akkadische Fremdwörter als Beweis für babylonischen Kultureinfluss (in German), Leipzig: A. Edelmann, page 52
• Zimmern, Heinrich (1915) Akkadische Fremdwörter als Beweis für babylonischen Kultureinfluss (in German), Leipzig: A. Edelmann, page 58

Persian

Etymology

Borrowed from French sauce.

Noun

سوس • (sos)

1. sauce