Arabic

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Etymology

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Relative adjective (nisba) composed of عَبَث (ʕabaṯ) +‎ ـِيّ (-iyy), from the root ع ب ث (ʕ-b-ṯ).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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عَبَثِيّ (ʕabaṯiyy) (feminine عَبَثِيَّة (ʕabaṯiyya), masculine plural عَبَثِيُّونَ (ʕabaṯiyyūna), feminine plural عَبَثِيَّات (ʕabaṯiyyāt))

  1. something done without a realistic or defined goal or objective, aimless, pointless, useless, purposeless, absurd, futile, needless
    حَرْبٌ عَبَثِيَّةٌḥarbun ʕabaṯiyyatunfutile war

Declension

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