صنف

صنف

Arabic

Etymology 1

In the root ص ن ف‎ (ṣ-n-f) one also finds صِنْفَة‎ (ṣinfa, “border of a garment”), which fits Ge'ez ጽንፍ (ṣənf, “extremity, edge, border, fringe etc.”), suspiciously enough with alternative vocalization as in Arabic ጸንፍ (ṣänf). Due to the restricted semantic range and the varying vocalization one wonders about a borrowing from Aramaic. Christian Palestinian Aramaic has ܨܢܦܬܐ‎ (“border, fringe (of a garment)”) and Jewish Palestinian Aramaic צנפה‎ (ṣanpā, “border, fringe (of a garment)”) and צנף‎ (“to wrap or gird oneself”), but Jewish Babylonian Aramaic סנפא‎, סינפא‎ (sinpā, “side-room”) seems also similar, via the idea of an anyhow abstract pigeonhole or خَانَة‎ (ḵāna) things are fitted into, not emphatic but no doubt related because in the same isolect there is the geminate verb סנפ‎ (“to gird”), which is also found in Classical Syriac, while the Syriac base stem ܣܢܱܦ‎ (snap̄) means “to introduce, to insert”; apparently a Western Aramaic—Eastern Aramaic anlaut variation. For the meaning development in to a “sort” also contrast نَمَط‎ (namaṭ, “drugget, horse-rug; pattern, manner”).

The ultimate origin is suggested by the Dictionnaire du faisceau dialectal arabe andalou as ultimately Akkadian [script needed] (ṣiliptu, “diagonal”), related to Akkadian [script needed] (ṣalāpu, “to distort”), well also found in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic צלפ‎ / Classical Syriac ܨܠܦ‎ (ṣlap̄, “to split, to wound”), the geminate stem in Syriac and Jewish Literary Aramaic “to perforate” and “to wound”, the Syriac causative stem “to open up as to show”, with an unemphatic variant Jewish Babylonian Aramaic סלף‎ (“to wound”), Jewish Literary Aramaic סלף‎ (“to wound”).

Verb

صَنَّفَ • (ṣannafa) II, non-past يُصَنِّفُ‎‎ (yuṣannifu)

1. to sort, classify, or categorize something
2. to compile or compose

Conjugation

Conjugation of

صَنَّفَ

(form-II sound)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						تَصْنِيف‎ taṣnīf
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُصَنِّف‎ muṣannif
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُصَنَّف‎ muṣannaf
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	صَنَّفْتُ‎ ṣannaftu	صَنَّفْتَ‎ ṣannafta	صَنَّفَ ṣannafa		صَنَّفْتُمَا‎ ṣannaftumā	صَنَّفَا‎ ṣannafā		صَنَّفْنَا‎ ṣannafnā	صَنَّفْتُمْ‎ ṣannaftum	صَنَّفُوا‎ ṣannafū
	f		صَنَّفْتِ‎ ṣannafti	صَنَّفَتْ‎ ṣannafat			صَنَّفَتَا‎ ṣannafatā			صَنَّفْتُنَّ‎ ṣannaftunna	صَنَّفْنَ‎ ṣannafna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُصَنِّفُ‎ ʾuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفُ‎ tuṣannifu	يُصَنِّفُ‎ yuṣannifu		تُصَنِّفَانِ‎ tuṣannifāni	يُصَنِّفَانِ‎ yuṣannifāni		نُصَنِّفُ‎ nuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفُونَ‎ tuṣannifūna	يُصَنِّفُونَ‎ yuṣannifūna
	f		تُصَنِّفِينَ‎ tuṣannifīna	تُصَنِّفُ‎ tuṣannifu			تُصَنِّفَانِ‎ tuṣannifāni			تُصَنِّفْنَ‎ tuṣannifna	يُصَنِّفْنَ‎ yuṣannifna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُصَنِّفَ‎ ʾuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفَ‎ tuṣannifa	يُصَنِّفَ‎ yuṣannifa		تُصَنِّفَا‎ tuṣannifā	يُصَنِّفَا‎ yuṣannifā		نُصَنِّفَ‎ nuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفُوا‎ tuṣannifū	يُصَنِّفُوا‎ yuṣannifū
	f		تُصَنِّفِي‎ tuṣannifī	تُصَنِّفَ‎ tuṣannifa			تُصَنِّفَا‎ tuṣannifā			تُصَنِّفْنَ‎ tuṣannifna	يُصَنِّفْنَ‎ yuṣannifna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُصَنِّفْ‎ ʾuṣannif	تُصَنِّفْ‎ tuṣannif	يُصَنِّفْ‎ yuṣannif		تُصَنِّفَا‎ tuṣannifā	يُصَنِّفَا‎ yuṣannifā		نُصَنِّفْ‎ nuṣannif	تُصَنِّفُوا‎ tuṣannifū	يُصَنِّفُوا‎ yuṣannifū
	f		تُصَنِّفِي‎ tuṣannifī	تُصَنِّفْ‎ tuṣannif			تُصَنِّفَا‎ tuṣannifā			تُصَنِّفْنَ‎ tuṣannifna	يُصَنِّفْنَ‎ yuṣannifna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		صَنِّفْ ṣannif			صَنِّفَا‎ ṣannifā				صَنِّفُوا‎ ṣannifū
	f		صَنِّفِي‎ ṣannifī							صَنِّفْنَ‎ ṣannifna
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	صُنِّفْتُ‎ ṣunniftu	صُنِّفْتَ‎ ṣunnifta	صُنِّفَ ṣunnifa		صُنِّفْتُمَا‎ ṣunniftumā	صُنِّفَا‎ ṣunnifā		صُنِّفْنَا‎ ṣunnifnā	صُنِّفْتُمْ‎ ṣunniftum	صُنِّفُوا‎ ṣunnifū
	f		صُنِّفْتِ‎ ṣunnifti	صُنِّفَتْ‎ ṣunnifat			صُنِّفَتَا‎ ṣunnifatā			صُنِّفْتُنَّ‎ ṣunniftunna	صُنِّفْنَ‎ ṣunnifna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُصَنَّفُ‎ ʾuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفُ‎ tuṣannafu	يُصَنَّفُ‎ yuṣannafu		تُصَنَّفَانِ‎ tuṣannafāni	يُصَنَّفَانِ‎ yuṣannafāni		نُصَنَّفُ‎ nuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفُونَ‎ tuṣannafūna	يُصَنَّفُونَ‎ yuṣannafūna
	f		تُصَنَّفِينَ‎ tuṣannafīna	تُصَنَّفُ‎ tuṣannafu			تُصَنَّفَانِ‎ tuṣannafāni			تُصَنَّفْنَ‎ tuṣannafna	يُصَنَّفْنَ‎ yuṣannafna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُصَنَّفَ‎ ʾuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفَ‎ tuṣannafa	يُصَنَّفَ‎ yuṣannafa		تُصَنَّفَا‎ tuṣannafā	يُصَنَّفَا‎ yuṣannafā		نُصَنَّفَ‎ nuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفُوا‎ tuṣannafū	يُصَنَّفُوا‎ yuṣannafū
	f		تُصَنَّفِي‎ tuṣannafī	تُصَنَّفَ‎ tuṣannafa			تُصَنَّفَا‎ tuṣannafā			تُصَنَّفْنَ‎ tuṣannafna	يُصَنَّفْنَ‎ yuṣannafna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُصَنَّفْ‎ ʾuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفْ‎ tuṣannaf	يُصَنَّفْ‎ yuṣannaf		تُصَنَّفَا‎ tuṣannafā	يُصَنَّفَا‎ yuṣannafā		نُصَنَّفْ‎ nuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفُوا‎ tuṣannafū	يُصَنَّفُوا‎ yuṣannafū
	f		تُصَنَّفِي‎ tuṣannafī	تُصَنَّفْ‎ tuṣannaf			تُصَنَّفَا‎ tuṣannafā			تُصَنَّفْنَ‎ tuṣannafna	يُصَنَّفْنَ‎ yuṣannafna

Noun

صِنْف • (ṣinf) m (plural أَصْنَاف‎ (ʾaṣnāf))
صَنْف • (ṣanf) m (plural صُنُوف‎ (ṣunūf))

1. kind, sort, specimen
2. class, genus, species, category
3. (Classical Arabic) fringe, hem, border of a garment

Declension

Declension of noun صِنْف (ṣinf)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صِنْف ṣinf	الصِّنْف‎ aṣ-ṣinf	صِنْف ṣinf
Nominative	صِنْفٌ ṣinfun	الصِّنْفُ‎ aṣ-ṣinfu	صِنْفُ ṣinfu
Accusative	صِنْفًا‎ ṣinfan	الصِّنْفَ‎ aṣ-ṣinfa	صِنْفَ ṣinfa
Genitive	صِنْفٍ ṣinfin	الصِّنْفِ‎ aṣ-ṣinfi	صِنْفِ ṣinfi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صِنْفَيْن‎ ṣinfayn	الصِّنْفَيْن‎ aṣ-ṣinfayn	صِنْفَيْ‎ ṣinfay
Nominative	صِنْفَانِ‎ ṣinfāni	الصِّنْفَانِ‎ aṣ-ṣinfāni	صِنْفَا‎ ṣinfā
Accusative	صِنْفَيْنِ‎ ṣinfayni	الصِّنْفَيْنِ‎ aṣ-ṣinfayni	صِنْفَيْ‎ ṣinfay
Genitive	صِنْفَيْنِ‎ ṣinfayni	الصِّنْفَيْنِ‎ aṣ-ṣinfayni	صِنْفَيْ‎ ṣinfay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	أَصْنَاف‎ ʾaṣnāf	الْأَصْنَاف‎ al-ʾaṣnāf	أَصْنَاف‎ ʾaṣnāf
Nominative	أَصْنَافٌ‎ ʾaṣnāfun	الْأَصْنَافُ‎ al-ʾaṣnāfu	أَصْنَافُ‎ ʾaṣnāfu
Accusative	أَصْنَافًا‎ ʾaṣnāfan	الْأَصْنَافَ‎ al-ʾaṣnāfa	أَصْنَافَ‎ ʾaṣnāfa
Genitive	أَصْنَافٍ‎ ʾaṣnāfin	الْأَصْنَافِ‎ al-ʾaṣnāfi	أَصْنَافِ‎ ʾaṣnāfi

Declension of noun صَنْف (ṣanf)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صَنْف ṣanf	الصَّنْف‎ aṣ-ṣanf	صَنْف ṣanf
Nominative	صَنْفٌ ṣanfun	الصَّنْفُ‎ aṣ-ṣanfu	صَنْفُ ṣanfu
Accusative	صَنْفًا‎ ṣanfan	الصَّنْفَ‎ aṣ-ṣanfa	صَنْفَ ṣanfa
Genitive	صَنْفٍ ṣanfin	الصَّنْفِ‎ aṣ-ṣanfi	صَنْفِ ṣanfi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صَنْفَيْن‎ ṣanfayn	الصَّنْفَيْن‎ aṣ-ṣanfayn	صَنْفَيْ‎ ṣanfay
Nominative	صَنْفَانِ‎ ṣanfāni	الصَّنْفَانِ‎ aṣ-ṣanfāni	صَنْفَا‎ ṣanfā
Accusative	صَنْفَيْنِ‎ ṣanfayni	الصَّنْفَيْنِ‎ aṣ-ṣanfayni	صَنْفَيْ‎ ṣanfay
Genitive	صَنْفَيْنِ‎ ṣanfayni	الصَّنْفَيْنِ‎ aṣ-ṣanfayni	صَنْفَيْ‎ ṣanfay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	صُنُوف‎ ṣunūf	الصُّنُوف‎ aṣ-ṣunūf	صُنُوف‎ ṣunūf
Nominative	صُنُوفٌ‎ ṣunūfun	الصُّنُوفُ‎ aṣ-ṣunūfu	صُنُوفُ‎ ṣunūfu
Accusative	صُنُوفًا‎ ṣunūfan	الصُّنُوفَ‎ aṣ-ṣunūfa	صُنُوفَ‎ ṣunūfa
Genitive	صُنُوفٍ‎ ṣunūfin	الصُّنُوفِ‎ aṣ-ṣunūfi	صُنُوفِ‎ ṣunūfi

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: sinif
• → Bashkir: синыф (sinıf)
• → Kazakh: сынып (synyp)
• → Ottoman Turkish: صنف‎
  • Turkish: sınıf
• → Persian: صنف‎
• → Tatar: сыйныф (sıynıf)
• → Uzbek: sinf
• → Uyghur: سىنىپ‎ (sinip)

Etymology 2

Perhaps via Mon [Term?].

Proper noun

صَنْف • (ṣanf) f (Classical Arabic)

1. Champa (a historical region in Farther India)

Declension

Declension of noun صَنْف (ṣanf)

Singular	basic singular diptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	—	صَنْف ṣanf	—
Nominative	—	صَنْفُ ṣanfu	—
Accusative	—	صَنْفَ ṣanfa	—
Genitive	—	صَنْفَ ṣanfa	—

Further reading

• Corriente, Federico; Pereira, Christophe; Vicente, Angeles, editors (2017) Dictionnaire du faisceau dialectal arabe andalou. Perspectives phraséologiques et étymologiques (in French), Berlin: De Gruyter, page 776
• Freytag, Georg (1833), “صنف”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum (in Latin), volume 2, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, pages 526b–527a
• “ṣnp”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• “snp”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• “ṣlp”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• “slp”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

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Persian

Etymology 1

From Arabic صِنْف‎ (ṣinf).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian): IPA^(key): /sinf/

• (Dari): IPA^(key): /sɪnf/

• (Iranian Persian): IPA^(key): /senf/
• (Tajik): IPA^(key): /sinf/

Noun

صنف • (senf) (plural اصناف‎ (asnâf))

1. (Dari) class (group, collection, category or set sharing characteristics or attributes)
2. guild (a group of tradespeople made up of merchants, craftspeople, or artisans)

Etymology 2

From Arabic صَنْف‎ (ṣanf).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian): IPA^(key): /sanf/

• (Dari): IPA^(key): /sanf/

• (Iranian Persian): IPA^(key): /sænf/
• (Tajik): IPA^(key): /sanf/

Proper noun

صنف • (sanf)

1. Champa (a historical region in Farther India)