مدينة

See also: مدینه‎

Arabic

Etymology

Considering that this word has no derivation from the root د ي ن‎ (d-y-n) which has completely unrelated meanings nor from the root د و ن‎ (d-w-n) which is denominal from the Persian-borrowed دِيوَان‎ (dīwān), whereas the root م د ن‎ (m-d-n) is clearly denominal, and that the original Arabs did not dwell in cities when the Aramaeans long did, Arabic مَدِينَة (madīna) can be assumed to be a borrowing from Aramaic מְדִינְתָּא‎ (məḏīntā) resp. Classical Syriac ܡܕ݂ܝܼܢ݇ܬܿܵܐ‎ (məḏīttā). Cognate with Hebrew מדינה‎ (məḏînâ, “state”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.diː.na/

• Audio

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Noun

مَدِينَة • (madīna) f (plural مُدُن‎ (mudun) or مَدَائِن‎ (madāʾin) or مُدْن‎ (mudn))

1. town, city
2. jurisdiction

Declension

Declension of noun مَدِينَة (madīna)

Singular	singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	مَدِينَة madīna	الْمَدِينَة‎ al-madīna	مَدِينَة madīnat
Nominative	مَدِينَةٌ madīnatun	الْمَدِينَةُ‎ al-madīnatu	مَدِينَةُ madīnatu
Accusative	مَدِينَةً madīnatan	الْمَدِينَةَ‎ al-madīnata	مَدِينَةَ madīnata
Genitive	مَدِينَةٍ madīnatin	الْمَدِينَةِ‎ al-madīnati	مَدِينَةِ madīnati
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	مَدِينَتَيْن‎ madīnatayn	الْمَدِينَتَيْن‎ al-madīnatayn	مَدِينَتَيْ‎ madīnatay
Nominative	مَدِينَتَانِ‎ madīnatāni	الْمَدِينَتَانِ‎ al-madīnatāni	مَدِينَتَا‎ madīnatā
Accusative	مَدِينَتَيْنِ‎ madīnatayni	الْمَدِينَتَيْنِ‎ al-madīnatayni	مَدِينَتَيْ‎ madīnatay
Genitive	مَدِينَتَيْنِ‎ madīnatayni	الْمَدِينَتَيْنِ‎ al-madīnatayni	مَدِينَتَيْ‎ madīnatay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote‎; basic broken plural diptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	مُدُن‎‎; مَدَائِن‎‎; مُدْن‎ mudun‎; madāʾin‎; mudn	الْمُدُن‎‎; الْمَدَائِن‎‎; الْمُدْن‎ al-mudun‎; al-madāʾin‎; al-mudn	مُدُن‎‎; مَدَائِن‎‎; مُدْن‎ mudun‎; madāʾin‎; mudn
Nominative	مُدُنٌ‎‎; مَدَائِنُ‎‎; مُدْنٌ‎ mudunun‎; madāʾinu‎; mudnun	الْمُدُنُ‎‎; الْمَدَائِنُ‎‎; الْمُدْنُ‎ al-mudunu‎; al-madāʾinu‎; al-mudnu	مُدُنُ‎‎; مَدَائِنُ‎‎; مُدْنُ‎ mudunu‎; madāʾinu‎; mudnu
Accusative	مُدُنًا‎‎; مَدَائِنَ‎‎; مُدْنًا‎ mudunan‎; madāʾina‎; mudnan	الْمُدُنَ‎‎; الْمَدَائِنَ‎‎; الْمُدْنَ‎ al-muduna‎; al-madāʾina‎; al-mudna	مُدُنَ‎‎; مَدَائِنَ‎‎; مُدْنَ‎ muduna‎; madāʾina‎; mudna
Genitive	مُدُنٍ‎‎; مَدَائِنَ‎‎; مُدْنٍ‎ mudunin‎; madāʾina‎; mudnin	الْمُدُنِ‎‎; الْمَدَائِنِ‎‎; الْمُدْنِ‎ al-muduni‎; al-madāʾini‎; al-mudni	مُدُنِ‎‎; مَدَائِنِ‎‎; مُدْنِ‎ muduni‎; madāʾini‎; mudni

Derived terms

• الْمَدِينَة‎ (al-madīna)

Descendants

• Gulf Arabic: مَدينة‎ (madina)
• → English: medina
• → Kabyle: tamdint (“city”)
• → Tarifit: ⵜⴻⵏⴷⵉⵏⵜ (ṯendint)

See also

• بَلَد‎ m or f (balad)
• قَرْيَة‎ f (qarya)

References

• Fraenkel, Siegmund (1886) Die aramäischen Fremdwörter im Arabischen (in German), Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 280
• Wehr, Hans (1979) , “مدن”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN