زلیخا

Pashto

Etymology

From Arabic زُلَيْخَة (zulayḵa, “brilliant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /zʊ.ləi.xa/
• IPA^(key): /zʊ.lai.xa/

Proper noun

زلیخا • (Zulëixa) f

1. (religion) Hazrat Zuleikha
2. a female given name

Persian

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic زُلَيْخَة (zulayḵa).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [zu.laj.ˈxɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [zʊ.läj.xɑ́ː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [zʊ.läj.xɑ́ː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [zʊ.läj.xɑ́ː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [zu.läj.xɔ́ː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [zolej.xɒ́ː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [zu.läj.χɔ́]

Readings
Classical reading?	zulayxā
Dari reading?	zulayxā
Iranian reading?	zoleyxâ
Tajik reading?	zulayxo

Proper noun

زُلِیخا • (zoleyxâ)

1. The name popularly given to Potiphar's wife, a Biblical and Quranic figure who falls in love with the enslaved Joseph and attempts to seduce him; a common character in Persian poetry.
   • late 14th century, Xāja Shams-ud-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī, “اگر آن ترک شیرازی به دست آرد دل ما را (Shirazi Turk)”, in دیوان حافظ:

     من از آن حسن روزافزون که یوسف داشت دانستم، که عشق از پرده عصمت برون آرد زلیخا را

     man az ân hosn-e ruz-afzun ke yusof dâšt dânestam, ke 'ešq az parde-ye 'esmat borun ârad zoleyxâ-râ

     I have learnt, from that daily-increasing beauty that Joseph had, that Love will bring Zoleykha out from behind the curtain of modesty.

   • c. 1650, Muḥammad Ṭāhir Ğanī Kašmīrī, translated by Mufti Mudasir Farooqi and Nusrat Bazaz, دیوان [Divān]:

     غنی روز سیاه پیر کنعان را تماشا کن، که نور دیده اش روشن کرد چشم زلیخا را.

     ğani ruz-e siyâh-e pir-e kan'ân-râ tamâšâ kon, ke nur-e dide-aš rowšan kard čašm-e zoleyxâ-râ.

     Ghani, behold the darkened days of the old man of Canaan as the light of his eyes now those of Zuleikha.

2. a female given name from Arabic

See also

• یوسف (yusof, “Joseph”)
• یعقوب (ya'qub, “Jacob”)