Core sense — good, goodness; excellence; benefit; wealth, or propertygenerated
1a man possessing little, or no, good; poor; or niggardly—رَجُلٌ قَلِيلُ الخَيْرِ
Good, whether moral or physical; anything that is good, real or ideal, and actual or potential. Being originally a maṣdar, it is used as both singular and plural.
Er-Rāghib: a thing that all desire, such as intelligence, for instance, and equity. So also in some copies of the K.
[Or goodness;] and excellence; and what is profitable or useful. Er-Rāghib: benefit.
Opposite of شَرٌّ. Plural خُيُورٌ, and also, according to the Msb, خِيَارٌ.
[But this latter seems properly to be a plural only of خَيْرٌ used as an adjective (see below) and as a noun denoting the comparative and superlative degrees; it may however be used as an adjective in which the quality of a substantive is predominant.]
خير is of two kinds: absolute خير, which is what is desired in all circumstances and by everyone; and what is خير [or good] to one and شرّ [or evil] to another, as, for instance, wealth or property. So Zj, Er-Rāghib, and the K.
It has this last meaning, wealth or property, in the Qur'ān 2:176, 2:274, 24:33 and 41:49; or in the first two of these it is so called to imply wealth or property collected in a praiseworthy manner, or it means much wealth or property, and this is its meaning in the first, in agreement with a tradition of 'Alee, and also in the Qur'ān 100:8.
[Being used as a plural as well as a singular, it may also be rendered good things.] The Arabs also use it to mean horses, and it has this meaning in the Qur'ān 38:31.
[It is often best rendered good fortune; prosperity; welfare; well-being; happiness; or a good state or condition; and sometimes bounty, or beneficence.]
Or a man who does little good.
Or one who does no good, who is not near to doing good, denoting the nonexistence of good in him.
[So it sometimes means the same as رَجُلٌ لَا خَيْرَ فِيهِ: a man in whom is no good or goodness; devoid of goodness; worthless.]
poverty; also niggardliness—قِلَّةُ خَيْرٍ
هُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الخَيْرِ وَالخِيرِ is explained under خِيرٌ.
may it be with the aid of good fortune and prosperity—عَلَىيَدَىِ الخَيْرِ وَاليُمْنِ
may you meet with, or attain, good—إِنَّكَ مَا وَخَيْرًا
A prayer used with respect to a marriage. (A 'Obeyd)
It is equivalent to مَعَ خَيْرٍ.
1.1a good man—رَجُلٌ خَيِّرٌ
خَيْرٌ in the phrase فُلَانٌ خَيْرٌ resembles an adjective [like خَيِّرٌ], and means good, or possessing good; so its feminine is خَيْرَةٌ, of which the plural is خَيْرَاتٌ, as in the Qur'ān 55:70, and there they do not mean by it the comparative or superlative sense of the measure أَفْعَلُ.
That is, a man possessing خَيْر [or good].
a good man—رَجُلٌ خَيْرٌ
a good woman; a woman excellent in beauty and disposition—اِمْرَأَةٌ خَيِّرَةٌ
a good woman; a woman excellent in beauty and disposition—خَيْرَةٌ
Or خَيْرٌ and خَيِّرٌ mean possessing much خَيْر [or good], applied to a man; and in the same sense one says رَجُلٌ خَيْرَى, خُورَى, and خِيَرى.
The feminine of the first is خَيْرَةٌ and of the second خَيِّرَةٌ; the plural of paucity is أَخْيَارٌ and that of multitude خِيَارٌ.
the excellent of the camels or the like—خِيَارُ المَالِ
One says the like of men and others. [See also below.] The feminine is خَيْرَةٌ, of which the plural is خَيْرَاتٌ.
خِيَارٌ is the opposite of أَشْرَارٌ used as an adjective.
خَيْرَةٌ, used as a substantive, means anything excellent; its plural in this sense, خَيْرَاتٌ, occurs in the Qur'ān 9:89.
Or خَيْرٌ, or the feminine خَيْرَةٌ, or each of them, means excellent in beauty; and خَيِّرٌ and خَيِّرَةٌ mean excellent in righteousness and religion; or, in the opinion of the lexicologists generally, there is no difference between خَيْرَةٌ and خَيِّرَةٌ.
Zj: خَيْرَاتٌ and خَيِّرَاتٌ, both occurring in different readings of the Qur'ān 55:70, mean good in dispositions.
Khálid Ibn-Jembeh: خَيْرَةٌ, applied to a woman, means generous in race, exalted in rank, quality or reputation, goodly in face, good in disposition, possessing much wealth, and one who, if she brings forth, brings forth a generous child.
[خِيَارٌ is also applied as an adjective to a singular substantive, either masculine or feminine.]
a he-camel that is excellent, or excellent and brisk—جَمَلٌ خِيَارٌ
a he-camel that is excellent, or excellent and brisk—نَاقَةٌ خِيَارٌ
And so of a she-camel.
See also مُخْتَارٌ, in three places.
In the saying لَعَمَرُ أَبِيكَ الخَيْرُ, the word خَيْر is in the nominative as an adjective of عَمْر [so that the phrase literally means By the good life of your father]; but properly it should be لَعَمْرُ أَبِيكَ الخَيْرِ [By the life of your good father]. The like is said with شَرّ. [See also the article عمر.]
1.2this is better than this—هٰذَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ هٰذَا
خَيْرٌ is also used to denote superiority.
In the dialect of the Benoo-'Ámir, هٰذَا أَخْيَرُ مِنْ هٰذَا, with أ; and in like manner أَشَّرُ; but the rest of the Arabs drop the أ in each case.
he is better than you—هُوَ أَخْيَرُ مِنْكَ
And in like manner أَشَّرُ مِنْكَ and هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ; and in like manner شَرٌّ مِنْكَ; and, using the diminutive form of خَيْرٌ, خُيَيْرٌ مِنْكَ; and in like manner شُرَيْرٌ مِنْكَ. (Ibn-Buzurj)
such a woman is the best of mankind—فُلَانَةٌ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ
Said when you mean to express superiority; but not خَيْرَةُ [see, however, what is cited below from the K].
such a man is the best of mankind—فُلَانٌ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ
But not أَخْيَرُ [unless in the dialect of the Benoo-'Ámir].
It is said that خَيْرُ, when thus used, does not take the dual or the plural form, because it has the meaning of the measure أَفْعَلُ; for though a poet uses the dual form, he uses it as a contraction of the dual of خَيِّرٌ, like مَيْتٌ, مَيِّتٌ, هَيْنٌ, and هَيِّنٌ.
[But this remark in the S is incorrect: both خَيْر and أَخْيَر, when used in such phrases as those J refers to, have plural forms of frequent occurrence, examples of which will be found below; and, as I 'Ak (p. 239) and many other grammarians say, one may say الزَّيْدَانِ أَفْضَلَا القَوْمِ, الزَّيْدُونَ أَفْضَلُو القَوْمِ, أَفَاضِلُ القَوْمِ, and also هِنْدُ فُضْلَىالنِّسَآءِ, and the like; such agreement is found in the Qur'ān 6:123, and is even said by many to be more chaste than the mode J prescribes.]
It is said in the K that one says هُوَ أَخْيَرُ مِنْكَ, like خَيْرُ; and when the meaning of superiority is intended, one says فُلَانٌ خَيْرَةٌ النَّاسِ, with ة, and فُلَانَةُ خَيْرُهُمْ, without ة. But SM says: I do not know how this can be, for the S says something different, and so does Z in several places in the Ksh; and what is strangest is that the author of the K quotes in the B the passage of J [from the S] and adopts the opinion of the leading authorities [as given in the S].
such a woman is the better of the two women—فُلَانَةُ الخَيْرَةُ مِنَ المَرْأَتَيْنِ
Also هِىَ الخَيْرَةُ and الخِيرَةُ [so in the TA, but in the CK الخِيَرَةُ], and الخِيرَى and الخُورَى [the last being the feminine of أَخْيَرُ, originally خُيْرَى, and so, apparently, the one before it: she is the better, or best].
he is the best of his family—هُوَ خُيَيْرُ أَهْلِهِ
Using the diminutive form of خَيْرٌ. (Ibn-Buzurj)
may God make what you bring back the best of what the absent bring back to family and property—خَيْرَ مَا رُدَّ فِى أَهْلٍ وَمَالٍ
Said to one coming from a journey. (As, Meyd)
Or, as some relate it, خَيْرُ, that is, رَدُّكَ خَيْرُ رَدٍّ [may your bringing back be the best bringing back]; and فى is used in the sense of مَعَ. (Meyd)
[أَخْيَارٌ is a plural of paucity and خِيَارٌ a plural of multitude, and apparently so is خِيرَانٌ, of خَيْرٌ thus used; and أَخَايِرُ is a plural of أَخْيَرُ, and so is أَخْيَرُونَ, applied to rational beings. In the TA, أَخَايِرُ is said to be a plural of a plural of أَخْيَرُ, and so خِيرَانٌ, but this is apparently a mistake, probably of transcription.]
a man of the best of mankind—رَجُلٌ مِنْ خِيَارِ النَّاسِ
a man of the best of mankind—أَخْيَارِهِمْ
a man of the best of mankind—أَخَايِرِهِمْ
yours is, or are, the best of these camels—لَكَ خِيَارُ هٰذِهِ الإِبِلِ
yours is, or are, the best of these camels—خِيرَتُهَا
Alike with respect to a singular and a plural.
he slaughtered the best of his camels—نَحَرَ خِيرَةَ إِبِلِهِ
he slaughtered the best of his camels—خُورَةَ إِبِلِهِ
they (meaning men) are the better, or best—هُمُ الأَخْيَرُونَ
(Ibn-Buzurj)
2
مَا خَيْرَ, for مَا أَخْيَرَ: see form 4, in two places.
3a kind of small grain, of sweet smell—خَيْرُ بَوَّآءُ
[From the Persian خِيرْبُوَا: lesser cardamom.]
It resembles the قَاقُلَّة [or common cardamom].
Qur’ānic occurrences خَيْر 5 shown of 162
50:25
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ مُّرِيبٍ"Who forbade what was good, transgressed all bounds, cast doubts and suspicions;
68:12
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
70:21
وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًاAnd niggardly when good reaches him;-
87:17
وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰٓBut the Hereafter is better and more enduring.
100:8
وَإِنَّهُۥ لِحُبِّ ٱلْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌAnd violent is he in his love of wealth.
Occurrences of this form in the Qur’ān, not Lane’s choice of verse. They show the word in use; they do not say which sense above applies. Where more occur than are shown, the shortest āyāt are chosen.
Show Lane's original text
[Good, moral or physical; anything that is good, real or ideal, and actual or potential; and, being originally an inf. n., used as sing and pl.;] a thing that all desire; such as intelligence, for instance, and equity; (Er-Rághib, and so in some copies of the K;) [or goodness;] and excellence; and what is profitable or useful; benefit; (Er-Rághib;) contr. of شَرٌّ : (S, A, Msb:) pl. خُيُورٌ , (Msb, K,) and also, accord. to the Msb, خِيَارٌ : (TA:) [but this latter seems to be properly pl. only of خَيْرٌ used as an epithet (see below) and as a noun denoting the comparative and superlative degrees: it may however be used as an epithet in which the quality of a subst. is predominant:] خير is of two kinds: namely, absolute خير , which is what is desired in all circumstances and by every person: and what is خير [or good] to one and شرّ [or evil] to another; as, for instance, (Er-Rághib,) wealth, or property: (Zj, L in art. شد , Er-Rághib, K:) it has this last signification, namely wealth, or property, in the Kur, ii. 176 (S, TA) and ii. 274 and xxiv. 33 and xli. 49: or in the first and second of these instances it is thus called to imply the meaning of wealth, or property, that has been collected in a praiseworthy manner, or it means much wealth or property; and this is its meaning in the first of the instances mentioned above, agreeably with a trad. of 'Alee; and also in the Kur, c. 8: (TA:) [being used as a pl. (as well as a sing.), it may be also rendered good things:] and it is also used by the Arabs to signify horses; (K, * TA;) and has this meaning in the Kur, xxxviii. 31: (TA:) [it is often best rendered good fortune; prosperity; welfare; wellbeing; weal; happiness; or a good state or condition: and sometimes bounty, or beneficence.] رَجُلٌ قَلِيلُ الخَيْرِ means [A man possessing little, or no, good; possessing few, or no, good things; or poor: and in whom is little, or no, good or goodness; or niggardly: and also] a man who does little good: (TA in art. عص :) or [who does no good;] who is not near to doing good; denoting the nonexistence of good in him. (Msb in art. قل .) [Thus it sometimes means the same as رَجُلٌ لَا خَيْرَ فِيهِ A man in whom is no good or goodness; devoid of goodness; worthless.] And قِلَّةُ خَيْرٍ means Poverty: and also niggardliness. (A and TA in art. جحد .) هُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الخَيْرِ وَالخِيرِ is explained voce خِيرٌ . عَلَىيَدَىِ الخَيْرِ وَاليُمْنِ [May it be with the aid of good fortune and prosperity] is a prayer used with respect to a marriage. (A 'Obeyd, TA.) And إِنَّكَ مَا وَخَيْرًا means مَعَ خَيْرٍ , i. e., Mayest thou meet with, or attain, good. (K.) خَيْرٌ in the phrase فُلَانٌ خَيْرٌ resembles an epithet [like خَيِّرٌ , and signifies Good; or possessing good]; (Akh, S;) therefore the fem. is خَيْرَةٌ , of which the pl. is خَيْرَاتٌ , (Akh, S, Msb, *) as occurring in the Kur, lv. 70; and they do not [there] mean by it [the comparative or superlative signification of the measure] أَفْعَلُ : (Akh, S:) you say رَجُلٌ خَيِّرٌ , (S, A, Msb,) meaning [A good man; or] a man possessing خَيْر [or good]; (Msb;) and رَجُلٌ خَيْرٌ : (S:) and in like manner, اِمْرَأَةٌ خَيِّرَةٌ and خَيْرَةٌ , (S, Msb,) meaning [A good woman; or] a woman excellent in beauty and disposition: (Msb:) or خَيْرٌ and خَيِّرٌ signify possessing much خَيْر [or good], (K,) applied to a man; (TA;) and in the same sense you say رَجُلٌ خَيْرَى , and خُورَى , and خِيَرى : and the fem. of the first is خَيْرَةٌ ; and of the second, خَيِّرَةٌ : (K:) and the pl. [of pauc.] (of the first, TA) is أَخْيَارٌ , and [of mult.] خِيَارٌ : (A, Msb, K:) you say also خِيَارُ المَالِ , meaning The excellent of the camels or the like: (Msb, K:) and in like manner you say of men &c.: (TA:) [see also below:] and the fem. is خَيْرَةٌ , of which the pl. is خَيْرَاتٌ : (Msb:) خِيَارٌ is contr. of أَشْرَارٌ , (S, Mgh,) [thus] used as an epithet: (Mgh:) and خَيْرَةٌ [used as a subst.] signifies anything excellent; and the pl. thereof in this sense, خَيْرَاتٌ , occurs in the Kur, ix. 89: (S:) or خَيْرٌ , (K,) or the fem. خَيْرَةٌ , (Lth,) or each, (K.) signifies excellent in beauty: (Lth, K:) and خَيِّرٌ and خَيِّرَةٌ signify excellent in righteousness (Lth, K) and religion: (K:) or there is no difference in the opinion of the lexicologists [in general] between خَيْرَةٌ and خَيِّرَةٌ : (Az:) accord. to Zj, خَيْرَاتٌ and خَيِّرَاتٌ , both occurring in different readings of the Kur, lv. 70, signify good in dispositions: accord. to Khálid Ibn-Jembeh, خَيْرَةٌ , applied to a woman, signifies generous in race, exalted in rank or quality or reputation, goodly in face, good in disposition, possessing much wealth, who, if she bring forth, brings forth a generous child: (TA:) [ خِيَارٌ is also applied as an epithet to a sing. subst., either masc. or fem.:] you say جَمَلٌ خِيَارٌ and نَاقَةٌ خِيَارٌ , meaning A he-camel [that is excellent or] excellent and brisk and so a she-camel. (TA.) See also مُخْتَارٌ , in three places. In the saying لَعَمَرُ أَبِيكَ الخَيْرُ , the word خَيْر is in the nom. case as an epithet of عَمْر ; [so that the phrase lit. means By the good life of thy father;] but properly it should be لَعَمْرُ أَبِيكَ الخَيْرِ [By the life of thy good father]: and the like is said with شَرّ . (TA.) [See also art. عمر .] خَيْرٌ is also used to denote superiority: one says, هٰذَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ هٰذَا This is better than this: and in the dial. of the Benoo-'Ámir, هٰذَا أَخْيَرُ مِنْ هٰذَا , with أ , and in like manner, أَشَّرُ ; but the rest of the Arabs drop the أ in each case: (Msb:) you say, هُوَ أَخْيَرُ مِنْكَ [He is better than thou], and in like manner, أَشَّرُ مِنْكَ ; and هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ , and in like manner, شَرٌّ مِنْكَ ; and, [using the dim. form of خَيْرٌ ,] خُيَيْرٌ مِنْكَ , and in like manner, شُرَيْرٌ مِنْكَ . (Ibn-Buzurj, TA.) You also say, when you mean to express the signification of superiority, فُلَانَةٌ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ [Such a woman is the best of mankind]; but not خَيْرَةُ : [see, however, what will be found cited hereafter from the K,] and فُلَانٌ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ [Such a man is the best of mankind]; but not أَخْيَرُ [unless in the dial. of the Benoo-'Ámir]: and [it is said that] خَيْرُ when thus used does not assume the dual form nor the pl., because it has the signification of [the measure] أَفْعَلُ : for though a poet uses the dual form, he uses it as a contraction of the dual of خَيِّرٌ , like مَيْتٌ and مَيِّتٌ , and هَيْنٌ and هَيِّنٌ : (S:) [but. this remark in the S is incorrect: for both خَيْر and أَخْيَر , when used in such phrases as those to which J here refers, have pl. forms of frequent occurrence, and of which examples will be found below; and, as is said by I 'Ak (p. 239), and by many other grammarians, you may say, الزَّيْدَانِ أَفْضَلَا القَوْمِ , and الزَّيْدُونَ أَفْضَلُو القَوْمِ and أَفَاضِلُ القَوْمِ , and also هِنْدُ فُضْلَىالنِّسَآءِ , &c.; and such concordance is found in the Kur, vi. 123; and is even said by many to be more chaste than the mode prescribed by J:] it is said in the K, that you say, هُوَ أَخْيَرُ مِنْكَ , like خَيْرُ ; and when you mean the signification of superiority, you say فُلَانٌ خَيْرَةٌ النَّاسِ , with ة , and فُلَانَةُ خَيْرُهُمْ , without ة : but [SM says,] I know not how this is; for in the S is said what is different from this, and in like manner by Z in several places in the Ksh; and what is most strange is, that the author of the K quotes in the B the passage of J [from the S], and adopts the opinion of the leading authorities [as given in the S]: (TA:) or you say, فُلَانَةُ الخَيْرَةُ مِنَ المَرْأَتَيْنِ [Such a woman is the better of the two women]: and هِىَ الخَيْرَةُ , and الخِيرَةُ , [so in the TA, but in the CK الخِيَرَةُ ,] and الخِيرَى , and الخُورَى , [the last being fem. of أَخْيَرُ , originally خُيْرَى , and so, app., the last but one, She is the better, or best:] (K:) and [using the dim. form of خَيْرٌ ] you say, هُوَ خُيَيْرُ أَهْلِهِ [He is the best of his family]: (Ibn-Buzurj, TA:) one says also, to one coming from a journey, خَيْرَ مَا رُدَّ فِى أَهْلٍ وَمَالٍ , meaning May God make that with which thou comest [back] to be the best of what is brought back by the absent with family and property; (As, Meyd, TA;) or, as some relate it, خَيْرُ , i. e. رَدُّكَ خَيْرُ رَدٍّ [may thy bringing back be the best bringing back]; and فى is used in the sense of مَعَ : (Meyd:) [ أَخْيَارٌ is pl. of pauc., and خِيَارٌ pl. of mult., and so app. is خِيرَانٌ , of خَيْرٌ thus used; and أَخَايِرُ is pl. of أَخْيَرُ , and so is أَخْيَرُونَ applied to rational beings: in the TA, أَخَايِرُ is said to be a pl. pl. of أَخْيَرُ , and so خِيرَانٌ ; but this is app. a mistake, probably of transcription:] you say رَجُلٌ مِنْ خِيَارِ النَّاسِ and أَخْيَارِهِمْ and أَخَايِرِهِمْ [A man of the best of mankind]: (A, TA:) and لَكَ خِيَارُ هٰذِهِ الإِبِلِ , and خِيرَتُهَا , [Thine are, or is, or shall be, the best of these camels,] alike with respect to a sing. and a pl.: (TA:) and نَحَرَ خِيرَةَ إِبِلِهِ and خُورَةَ إِبِلِهِ [He slaughtered the best of his camels]: (IAar, TA:) and هُمُ الأَخْيَرُونَ [They (meaning men) are the better, or best]. (Ibn-Buzurj, TA.) مَا خَيْرَ for مَا أَخْيَرَ : see 4, in two places. خَيْرُ بَوَّآءُ [from the Persian خِيرْبُوَا Lesser cardamom;] a kind of small grain, resembling the قَاقُلَّة [or common cardamom], (K,) of sweet odour. (TA.)