عالم

Arabic

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Aramaic עָלְמָא‎ / ܥܳܠܡܳܐ‎ (ʿāləmā) or Hebrew עוֹלָם‎ (ʿōlām), possibly from Akkadian 𒂖𒆷𒈬𒌋𒀀 (/ellamu, illamu/, “front, before; both temporally and in location; coming before your time or being currently physically before you now”).

The pattern فَاعَل‎ (fāʿal)

The pattern فَاعَل‎ (fāʿal) is considered originally foreign to Arabic and Ethiopic, occurring only in likely loanwords such as طَابَع‎ (ṭābaʿ), خَاتَم‎ (ḵātam), فَالَج‎ (fālaj). It should be noted some of these loans are suspected to be early, such as خَاتَم‎ (ḵātam) being present in Old Arabian Inscriptions and عَالَم‎ (ʿālam) retaining the sound masculine plural ending in spite of being treated as a non-human plural; a feature that suggests it existed prior to the restriction of such a use exclusively for male humans; whereas one group renders known Middle Iranian suffixes, as in طَابَق‎ (ṭābaq) and سَاذَج‎ (sāḏaj) and رَامَك‎ (rāmak) and via Aramaic fricativized as in كَامَخ‎ (kāmaḵ) the ending of which became Classical Persian ‎ (-a) and ‎ (-ak). Nautically, even Dravidian borrowings with this measure like طَالَم‎ (ṭālam) are possible early. Consequently due to its early appearance, the فَاعَل (fāʿal) pattern has since become a sparsely used coined pattern in its own right, typically however still being reserved for loanwords using the structure of these earlier loans as their basis; for example the later loan طَاقَم‎ (ṭāqam).

Alternative forms

عٰلَم‎ (ʿālam)

Noun

عَالَم • (ʿālam) m (plural عَالَمُون‎ (ʿālamūn) or عَوَالِم‎ (ʿawālim))

world
universe, cosmos, existence
(chiefly Christianity) world, hereunder, worldly life
Synonym: دُنْيَا‎ (dunyā)
- ‏فِي العالَمِ يَكُونُ لَكُم ضِيقٌ، وَلٰكِن ثِقُوا: أَنَا قَد غَلَبْتُ العالَم.‎‎
  fī l-ʿālami yakūnu lakum ḍīqun, walākin ṯiqū: ʾanā qad ḡalabtu l-ʿālam.
  In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
things, creation, that which exists before you
nation, people, group, type, or kind

Declension

Declension of noun عَالَم (ʿālam)

Singular	basic singular triptote
Singular	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالَم ʿālam	الْعَالَم‎ al-ʿālam	عَالَم ʿālam
Nominative	عَالَمٌ ʿālamun	الْعَالَمُ‎ al-ʿālamu	عَالَمُ ʿālamu
Accusative	عَالَمًا‎ ʿālaman	الْعَالَمَ‎ al-ʿālama	عَالَمَ ʿālama
Genitive	عَالَمٍ ʿālamin	الْعَالَمِ‎ al-ʿālami	عَالَمِ ʿālami
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالَمَيْن‎ ʿālamayn	الْعَالَمَيْن‎ al-ʿālamayn	عَالَمَيْ‎ ʿālamay
Nominative	عَالَمَانِ‎ ʿālamāni	الْعَالَمَانِ‎ al-ʿālamāni	عَالَمَا‎ ʿālamā
Accusative	عَالَمَيْنِ‎ ʿālamayni	الْعَالَمَيْنِ‎ al-ʿālamayni	عَالَمَيْ‎ ʿālamay
Genitive	عَالَمَيْنِ‎ ʿālamayni	الْعَالَمَيْنِ‎ al-ʿālamayni	عَالَمَيْ‎ ʿālamay
Plural	sound masculine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote
Plural	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالَمِين‎‎; عَوَالِم‎ ʿālamīn‎; ʿawālim	الْعَالَمِين‎‎; الْعَوَالِم‎ al-ʿālamīn‎; al-ʿawālim	عَالَمِي‎‎; عَوَالِم‎ ʿālamī‎; ʿawālim
Nominative	عَالَمُونَ‎‎; عَوَالِمُ‎ ʿālamūna‎; ʿawālimu	الْعَالَمُونَ‎‎; الْعَوَالِمُ‎ al-ʿālamūna‎; al-ʿawālimu	عَالَمُو‎‎; عَوَالِمُ‎ ʿālamū‎; ʿawālimu
Accusative	عَالَمِينَ‎‎; عَوَالِمَ‎ ʿālamīna‎; ʿawālima	الْعَالَمِينَ‎‎; الْعَوَالِمَ‎ al-ʿālamīna‎; al-ʿawālima	عَالَمِي‎‎; عَوَالِمَ‎ ʿālamī‎; ʿawālima
Genitive	عَالَمِينَ‎‎; عَوَالِمَ‎ ʿālamīna‎; ʿawālima	الْعَالَمِينَ‎‎; الْعَوَالِمِ‎ al-ʿālamīna‎; al-ʿawālimi	عَالَمِي‎‎; عَوَالِمِ‎ ʿālamī‎; ʿawālimi

Descendants

→ Azerbaijani: aləm
→ Bashkir: ғәләм (ğäläm)
→ Bengali: আলম (alôm)
→ Indonesian: alam
→ Kazakh: ғалам (ğalam), әлем (älem)
→ Kyrgyz: аалам (aalam)
→ Malay: alam
- Indonesian: alam
→ Middle Armenian: ալամ (alam)
- Armenian: ալամ (alam)
→ Ottoman Turkish: عالم‎ (alem)
- Turkish: alem
→ Persian: عالم‎ ('âlam)
→ Urdu: عالم‎ (ālam)

Etymology 2

Derived from the active participle of the verb عَلِمَ‎ (ʿalima, “to know”), from the root ع ل م‎ (ʿ-l-m).

Noun

عَالِم • (ʿālim) m (plural عَالِمُون‎ (ʿālimūn) or عُلَمَاء‎ (ʿulamāʾ), feminine عَالِمَة‎ (ʿālima))

scholar, man of letters, scientist
knowledgeable person, savant

Declension

Declension of noun عَالِم (ʿālim)

Singular	Masculine			Feminine
	basic singular triptote			singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالِم ʿālim	الْعَالِم‎ al-ʿālim	عَالِم ʿālim	عَالِمَة‎ ʿālima	الْعَالِمَة‎ al-ʿālima	عَالِمَة‎ ʿālimat
Nominative	عَالِمٌ ʿālimun	الْعَالِمُ‎ al-ʿālimu	عَالِمُ ʿālimu	عَالِمَةٌ‎ ʿālimatun	الْعَالِمَةُ‎ al-ʿālimatu	عَالِمَةُ‎ ʿālimatu
Accusative	عَالِمًا‎ ʿāliman	الْعَالِمَ‎ al-ʿālima	عَالِمَ ʿālima	عَالِمَةً‎ ʿālimatan	الْعَالِمَةَ‎ al-ʿālimata	عَالِمَةَ‎ ʿālimata
Genitive	عَالِمٍ ʿālimin	الْعَالِمِ‎ al-ʿālimi	عَالِمِ ʿālimi	عَالِمَةٍ‎ ʿālimatin	الْعَالِمَةِ‎ al-ʿālimati	عَالِمَةِ‎ ʿālimati
Dual	Masculine			Feminine
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالِمَيْن‎ ʿālimayn	الْعَالِمَيْن‎ al-ʿālimayn	عَالِمَيْ‎ ʿālimay	عَالِمَتَيْن‎ ʿālimatayn	الْعَالِمَتَيْن‎ al-ʿālimatayn	عَالِمَتَيْ‎ ʿālimatay
Nominative	عَالِمَانِ‎ ʿālimāni	الْعَالِمَانِ‎ al-ʿālimāni	عَالِمَا‎ ʿālimā	عَالِمَتَانِ‎ ʿālimatāni	الْعَالِمَتَانِ‎ al-ʿālimatāni	عَالِمَتَا‎ ʿālimatā
Accusative	عَالِمَيْنِ‎ ʿālimayni	الْعَالِمَيْنِ‎ al-ʿālimayni	عَالِمَيْ‎ ʿālimay	عَالِمَتَيْنِ‎ ʿālimatayni	الْعَالِمَتَيْنِ‎ al-ʿālimatayni	عَالِمَتَيْ‎ ʿālimatay
Genitive	عَالِمَيْنِ‎ ʿālimayni	الْعَالِمَيْنِ‎ al-ʿālimayni	عَالِمَيْ‎ ʿālimay	عَالِمَتَيْنِ‎ ʿālimatayni	الْعَالِمَتَيْنِ‎ al-ʿālimatayni	عَالِمَتَيْ‎ ʿālimatay
Plural	Masculine			Feminine
	sound masculine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote			sound feminine plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَالِمِين‎‎; عُلَمَاء‎ ʿālimīn‎; ʿulamāʾ	الْعَالِمِين‎‎; الْعُلَمَاء‎ al-ʿālimīn‎; al-ʿulamāʾ	عَالِمِي‎‎; عُلَمَاء‎ ʿālimī‎; ʿulamāʾ	عَالِمَات‎ ʿālimāt	الْعَالِمَات‎ al-ʿālimāt	عَالِمَات‎ ʿālimāt
Nominative	عَالِمُونَ‎‎; عُلَمَاءُ‎ ʿālimūna‎; ʿulamāʾu	الْعَالِمُونَ‎‎; الْعُلَمَاءُ‎ al-ʿālimūna‎; al-ʿulamāʾu	عَالِمُو‎‎; عُلَمَاءُ‎ ʿālimū‎; ʿulamāʾu	عَالِمَاتٌ‎ ʿālimātun	الْعَالِمَاتُ‎ al-ʿālimātu	عَالِمَاتُ‎ ʿālimātu
Accusative	عَالِمِينَ‎‎; عُلَمَاءَ‎ ʿālimīna‎; ʿulamāʾa	الْعَالِمِينَ‎‎; الْعُلَمَاءَ‎ al-ʿālimīna‎; al-ʿulamāʾa	عَالِمِي‎‎; عُلَمَاءَ‎ ʿālimī‎; ʿulamāʾa	عَالِمَاتٍ‎ ʿālimātin	الْعَالِمَاتِ‎ al-ʿālimāti	عَالِمَاتِ‎ ʿālimāti
Genitive	عَالِمِينَ‎‎; عُلَمَاءَ‎ ʿālimīna‎; ʿulamāʾa	الْعَالِمِينَ‎‎; الْعُلَمَاءِ‎ al-ʿālimīna‎; al-ʿulamāʾi	عَالِمِي‎‎; عُلَمَاءِ‎ ʿālimī‎; ʿulamāʾi	عَالِمَاتٍ‎ ʿālimātin	الْعَالِمَاتِ‎ al-ʿālimāti	عَالِمَاتِ‎ ʿālimāti

Descendants

→ Azerbaijani: alim
→ Bengali: আলেম (alem)
→ Persian: عالم‎ ('âlem)
→ Ottoman Turkish: عالم‎ (alim)
- Turkish: alem
→ Kazakh: ғалым (ğalym)
→ Kyrgyz: аалым (aalım)
→ Urdu: عالم‎ (ālim)

References

“ˁlm”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
Fischer, Wolfdietrich (2006) Grammatik des Klassischen Arabisch (in German), 4^th edition, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, →ISBN, § 62 Anm. 5, page 36
Fraenkel, Siegmund (1880) De vocabulis in antiquis Arabum carminibus et in Corano peregrinis‎ (in Latin), Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 17
Fraenkel, Siegmund (1880) De vocabulis in antiquis Arabum carminibus et in Corano peregrinis‎ (in Latin), Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 21
Jeffery, Arthur (1938) The Foreign Vocabulary of the Qurʾān (Gaekwad’s Oriental Series; 79), Baroda: Oriental Institute, pages 208–209
Nöldeke, Theodor (1875) Mandäische Grammatik‎ (in German), Halle: Verlag der Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, page 112

Kohistani Shina

Noun

عالم ('alim)

teacher

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عالَم‎ (ʿālam).

Noun

عالم • (ʕālam) m (plural عوالم‎ (ʕwālim))

world
Synonym: دني‎ (dini)
people, folk
Synonym: ناس‎ (nās)
‏كان في كتير عالم هنيك.‎‎
Kān fi ktīr ʕālam hunīk.
There were a lot of people there.

Usage notes

When meaning “people” it is often construed with a feminine or plural verb, like ناس‎.

Ottoman Turkish

عَالِم

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم‎ (ʿālam).

Noun

عالم • (alem) (plural عالمون‎ (alemun), and عوالم‎ (ewalim))

world, universe, everything except God
age, time, period

Descendants

Turkish: alem

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم‎ (ʿālim).

Noun

عالم • (alim) (plural علما‎ (ulema), and علام‎ (ullam))

learned man, scholar, man of letters
particularly, a member of a certain class of men with a state-sponsored tenure, as distinguished from a mufti, being part of the askeri class, alim [since Mehmed II]

Adjective

عالم • (alim)

learned, educated
‏عالم بر خاتون‎ ― alim bir hatun ― a learned lady

Descendants

Turkish: alim

Persian

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم‎ (ʿālam).

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian): IPA^(key): /ɑːlam/

(Dari): IPA^(key): /ɒːlam/

(Iranian Persian): IPA^(key): /ɒːlæm/
(Tajik): IPA^(key): /ɔːlam/

Noun

Iranian Persian	عالم
Dari	عالم
Tajik	олам (olam)

عالم • ('âlam)

world; universe
Synonyms: جهان‎ (jahân), دنیا‎ (donyâ)
- c. 1260s, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, Reynold A. Nicholson, transl., مثنوی معنوی‎ [Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi], volume III, verse 64:
  ‏کین جهان چاهیست بس تاریک و تنگ
  هست بیرون عالمی بی بو و رنگ‎
  k-in jahân čâhi-st bas târik o tang
  hast birun 'âlami bi bu vo rang
  [Saying,] "This world is an exceeding dark and narrow pit; outside is a world without scent or colour."
- late 1300s, Xāja Shams-ud-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī, “Ghazal 470 (Sīne mālāmāl-e dard ast)”, in دیوان حافظ‎ [Divān of Ḥāfeẓ]:
  ‏زیرکی را گفتم این احوال بین خندید و گفت‎
  صعب روزی بوالعجب کاری پریشان عالمی‎‎‎
  ziraki râ goftam in ahvâl bin; xandid o goft
  sa'b ruzi, bol-'ajab kâri, parišân 'âlami
  I said to a wise one, "Look at these conditions!" He laughed and said,
  "A difficult day, a strange affair, a perplexing world!"

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم‎ (ʿālim).

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian): IPA^(key): /ɑːlim/

(Dari): IPA^(key): /ɒːlɪm/

(Iranian Persian): IPA^(key): /ɒːlem/
(Tajik): IPA^(key): /ɔːlim/

Adjective

Iranian Persian	عالم
Dari	عالم
Tajik	олим (olim)

عالم • ('âlem)

learned; knowledgeable

Related terms

علم‎ ('elm, “knowledge”)

Punjabi

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم‎ (ʿālam).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɑː.lə.mᵊ/

Noun

عالَم • (ʻālam) m (Gurmukhi spelling ਆਲਮ)

world
universe
kingdom
state, condition

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم‎ (ʿālim).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɑː.lə.mᵊ/

Adjective

عالَم • (ʻālam) (Gurmukhi spelling ਆਲਮ)

learned
knowledgeable
intelligent
wise

Usage notes

Many Arabic loanwords, such as عالَم‎ (ʻālam), can have multiple meanings in Punjabi, where in this case, one is related to the noun, while the latter meaning is used to refer to the adjective. Both are borrowed from different Arabic words, yet have the same pronunciation in Punjabi, unlike in, the sister language, Urdu عالِم‎, (and rarely in Hindi आलिम (ālim)), where there is a distinction in pronunciation between the adjective and the noun. This can cause ambiguity as generally Punjabi speakers, who tend to also speak Hindi and Urdu, might actually mix words from either languages and not emphasise on the difference in pronunciation.

Related terms

عِلْم‎ (ʻilm)

South Levantine Arabic

Root
ع ل م‎

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم‎ (ʿālam).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕaː.lam/, [ˈʕæː.lam]
Audio (Ramallah) (file)

Noun

عالم • (ʕālam) m

world
Synonym: دنيا‎ (dinya)

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم‎ (ʿālim).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕaː.lim/, [ˈʕæː.lɪm]
Audio (Ramallah) (file)

Adjective

عالم • (ʕālem) (feminine عالمة‎ (ʕālme), elative أعلم‎ (ʔaʕlam))

aware
(formal) knowing

Noun

عالم • (ʕālem) m (plural علماء‎ (ʕulamāʔ), feminine عالمة‎ (ʕālme))

scholar, scientist
Synonym: باحث‎ (bāḥes)

Urdu

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَالَم‎ (ʿālam).

Noun

عالَم • ('ālam) m (Hindi spelling आलम)

world
universe
mankind
kingdom
season
state, condition
age, period

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَالِم‎ (ʿālim).

Adjective

عالِم • ('ālim) (Hindi spelling आलिम)

learned
knowledgeable
intelligent
wise

Noun

عالم • ('ālim) m (Hindi spelling आलिम)

doctor
scientist

Related terms

علم‎ ('ilm)

عالم

Arabic

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Noun

Declension

Descendants

Etymology 2

Noun

Declension

Descendants

References

Kohistani Shina

Noun

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

Noun

Usage notes

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology 1

Noun

Descendants

Etymology 2

Noun

Adjective

Descendants

Further reading

Persian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Noun

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Adjective

Related terms

Punjabi

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Noun

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Adjective

Usage notes

Related terms

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Noun

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Adjective

Noun

Urdu

Etymology 1

Noun

Etymology 2

Adjective

Noun

Related terms