Arabic edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Relative adjective (nisba) composed of نَاصِرَة (nāṣira) +‎ ـَانـ (-ān-) +‎ ـِيّ (-iyy), based on a modified form of النَّاصِرَة (an-nāṣira, Nazareth). Compare Hebrew נוֹצְרִי (nots'rí) and Classical Syriac ܢܵܨܪܵܝܵܐ (nāṣrāyā).

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

نَصْرَانِيّ (naṣrāniyy) (feminine نَصْرَانِيَّة (naṣrāniyya), common plural نَصَارَى (naṣārā), masculine plural نَصْرَانِيُّونَ (naṣrāniyyūna), feminine plural نَصَارَانِيَّات (naṣārāniyyāt))

  1. (dated, see usage notes) Christian
    Synonym: مَسِيحِيّ (masīḥiyy)
  2. (rare or obsolete) Nazarene
    Synonym: نَاصِرِيّ (nāṣiriyy)

Declension edit

Noun edit

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fpl2=نَصَارَى
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نَصْرَانِيّ (naṣrāniyym, plural نَصَارَى (naṣārā), feminine نَصْرَانِيَّة (naṣrāniyya)

  1. (dated, see usage notes) a Christian
    Synonym: مَسِيحِيّ (masīḥiyy)
    • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 3:67:
      مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَٰكِنْ كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا
      mā kāna ʔibrāhīmu yahūdiyyan walā naṣrāniyyan walākin kāna ḥanīfan musliman
      Neither was Abraham a Jew nor a Christian but rather he was an upright Muslim
  2. (rare or obsolete) a Nazarene
    Synonym: نَاصِرِيّ (nāṣiriyy)
    • 1992, Biblica, New Arabic Version [Kitab El Hayat] (NAV), Acts 24:5:
      وَجَدْنَا هَذَا الْمُتَّهَمَ مُخَرِّباً، يُثِيرُ الْفِتْنَةَ بَيْنَ جَمِيعِ الْيَهُودِ فِي الْبِلادِ كُلِّهَا، وَهُوَ يَتَزَعَّمُ مَذْهَبَ النَّصَارَى
      wajadnā haḏā l-muttahama muḵarriban, yuṯīru l-fitnata bayna jamīʕi l-yahūdi fī l-bilādi kullihā, wahuwa yatazaʕʕamu maḏhaba l-nnaṣārā
      We found this accused man to be a saboteur, stirring up discord among all the Jews in the entire land. He spearheads the sect of the Nazarenes.

Declension edit

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Descendants edit

Usage notes edit

  • Although the word and its nominal derivative, نَصْرَانِيَّة (naṣrāniyya, Christianity), are occasionally found in the works of some medieval Christian writers who composed in Classical Arabic, such as Ibn al-Ṭayyib and Ibn al-Ḵammār, it is now almost never used as a self-designation by Arabic-speaking Christians and is widely considered politically incorrect or outright offensive and derogatory, at least in countries with relevant Christian populations. Since نَصْرَانِيّ (naṣrāniyy) is the word used for “Christian” in the Quran and has been the primary designation for Christians in virtually all Islamic texts for centuries, it intends heavy religious connotations and thus still retains currency in Islamic religious discourse, but even there مَسِيحِيّ (masīḥiyy) may sometimes be used.

References edit

South Levantine Arabic edit

Root
ن ص ر
3 terms

Etymology edit

From Arabic نَصْرَانِيّ (naṣrāniyy).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /nasˤ.raː.ni/, [nɑsˤˈrˤɑː.ni]
  • (file)

Noun edit

نصراني (naṣrānim (plural نصارى (naṣāra), feminine نصرانيّة (naṣrāniyye))

  1. Christian (mainly used by Muslims)
    Synonym: مسيحي (masīḥi)