Core sense — a pair, or one of a pair; a husband, or a wife; an even numbergenerated
1a pair, or couple: any two things paired together, whether likes or contraries—زَوْجَانِ
either one of such two things—زَوْجٌ
a pair, or couple, of such things—زَوْجَانِ
This word primarily signifies a sort of thing of any kind [that is one of a pair or couple].
'Alee Ibn-'Eesà: a sort of thing [absolutely]. El-Ghooree: or a sort of thing having its like, as in the case of species; or having its contrary, as the moist and the dry, the male and the female, the night and the day, the bitter and the sweet; though sometimes applied to any sort of thing, and to a single thing. Or it is applied to a single thing only when it has with it a thing of the same kind.
The plural is أَزْوَاجِ.
a pair of pigeons—زَوْجَانِ مِنْ حَمَامٍ
Also زَوْجَا حَمَامٍ.
I bought a pair of pigeons—اِشْتَرَيْتُ زَوْجَى حَمَامٍ
a pair of sandals—زَوْجَا نِعَالٍ
That is, a male and a female.
زَوْجَيْنِ is used in the same way in the Qur'ān 11:42 and 23:28, meaning a male and a female.
Others say that زَوْجٌ signifies one of a pair or couple, and also a pair or couple together; so say AO, IKt, and IF.
they two are a pair, or couple—هُمَا زَوْجٌ
ISh says that it signifies two, and so says IDrd.
As well as هُمَا زَوْجَانِ.
I have two sandals—هُمَا سَوَآءٌ
As one also says هُمَا سِيَّانِ and عِنْدِى زَوْجُ نِعَالٍ, meaning [I have] two [sandals].
four—زَوْجَانِ
Or the use of زَوْجُ حَمَامٍ for a male and a female of pigeons is a phrase that should not be used, one to which the common people are addicted.
IAmb says that the common people are wrong in thinking that زَوْجٌ signifies two; for the Arabs did not say زَوْجُ حَمَامٍ, but used to say زَوْجَانِ مِنَ الحَمَامِ, meaning a male and a female, and زَوْجَانِ مِنَ الخِفَافِ, meaning the right and the left [of boots]. Nor did they apply the term زَوْجٌ to one of birds, as they applied the dual زَوْجَانِ to two; but they applied the term فَرْدٌ to the male, and فَرْدَةٌ to the female.
Es-Sijistánee also says that the term زَوْجٌ should not be applied to two, neither of birds nor of anything else, for this is a usage of the ignorant; it belongs rather to every two, زَوْجَانِ.
Az says that the grammarians disapprove of ISh's saying that زَوْجٌ signifies two of any things, and that زَوْجَانِ مِنْ خِفَافٍ signifies [two pairs of boots, or] four [boots]; for with them زَوْجٌ signifies one of a pair or couple.
a man and his wife together—زَوْجَانِ
Eight ones [of pairs or couples]—ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ
The primary meaning of زَوْجٌ is the one mentioned at the outset; in the Qur'ān 22:5 and 50:7 [it seems to be implied that it means pair or couple, but more probably in these instances] it means sort, or species.
It is also explained by the word لَوْنٌ, used in this last sense.
sorts, or species, of punishment—أَزْوَاجٌ
In the Qur'ān 38:58, where the plural stands for أَلْوَانٌ and أَنْوَاعٌ [that is, sorts, or species] of punishment.
F explains the singular as meaning لَوْنٌ مِنَ الدِّيبَاجِ وَنَحْوِهِ [a sort, or species, of silk brocade and the like]; but his restricting the meaning by the words من الديباج ونحوه is not right, as is shown by a verse of El-Aashà in which he uses the phrase كُلُّ زَوْجٍ مِنَ الدِّيبَاجِ [every sort, or species, of silk brocade], as an example of زوج in the sense of لون.
Qur’ān 11:40 approximate — somewhere between 11:23 and 11:44 Lane cites “Kur xi. 42”
Qur’ān 22:5 approximate — somewhere between 22:2 and 22:11 Lane cites “Kur xxii. 5”
Qur’ān 38:58 approximate — somewhere between 38:46 and 38:88 Lane cites “Kur xxxviii. 58”
Qur’ān 11:40 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this root
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌAt length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him.Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)
1.1
[Hence,] a woman's husband; and a man's wife.
In this latter sense زَوْجَةٌ is also used, as in a verse of El-Farezdak cited in art. بول, form 10; but As disallows it. The former word is the one of high authority, and is the one that occurs in the Qur'ān 2:33 and 7:18, and in 4:24, and in 33:37.
AHát says that the people of Nejd call a wife زَوْجَةٌ, and that the people of the Haram use this word.
ISk says that the people of El-Hijáz call a wife زَوْجٌ, and the rest of the Arabs زَوْجَةٌ; the lawyers use this last word only for a wife, for the sake of clearness, fearing to confuse the male with the female.
The plural of زَوْجٌ is أَزْوَاجٌ and زِوَجَةٌ; the plural of زَوْجَةٌ is زَوْجَاتٌ and also أَزْوَاجٌ; and أَزَاوِيجُ occurs [as a plural of a plural, that is, of أَزْوَاجُ] in a verse cited by ISk, under art. نأج.
1.2
[Hence also,] an associate, or a comrade.
The plural in this sense is أَزْوَاجٌ, which occurs in the Qur'ān 37:22.
Qur’ān 37:22 approximate — somewhere between 37:12 and 37:107 Lane cites “Kur xxxvii. 22”
Qur’ān 37:22 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this root
ٱحْشُرُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ وَأَزْوَٰجَهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْبُدُونَ"Bring ye up", it shall be said, "The wrong-doers and their wives, and the things they worshipped-Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)
1.3I have fellows, or likes, of this—عِنْدِى مِنْ هٰذَا أَزْوَاجٌ
A fellow, or like. Plural أَزْوَاجٌ.
In this sense each one of a pair of boots is the زوج of the other; the husband is the زوج of the wife, and the wife the زوج of the husband.
1.4Even or odd?—زَوْجٌ أَوْ فَرْدٌ
As used by arithmeticians, the opposite of فَرْدٌ: an even number, a number that may be divided into two equal numbers, as four and eight, as opposed to three and seven. Plural أَزْوَاجٌ.
As one also says خَسًا أَوْ زَكًا [or rather زَكًا أَوْ خَسًا] and شَفْعٌ أَوْ وِتْرٌ.
1.5
Also a kind of cloth such as is termed نَمَط [q. v.]; or silk brocade, دِيبَاجٌ; or a نَمَط that is thrown over the [kind of vehicle called] هَوْدَج.
Qur’ānic occurrences زَوْج 5 shown of 68
38:58
وَءَاخَرُ مِن شَكْلِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجٌAnd other Penalties of a similar kind, to match them!
55:52
فِيهِمَا مِن كُلِّ فَـٰكِهَةٍ زَوْجَانِIn them will be Fruits of every kind, two and two.
56:7
وَكُنتُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا ثَلَـٰثَةًAnd ye shall be sorted out into three classes.
75:39
فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ ٱلزَّوْجَيْنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓAnd of him He made two sexes, male and female.
78:8
وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًاAnd (have We not) created you in pairs,
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
primarily signifies A sort of thing of any kind [that is one of a pair or couple]: and زَوْجَانِ signifies a pair, or couple, i. e. any two things paired or coupled together, whether they be likes or contraries: زَوْجٌ signifying either one of such two things: (Az, TA:) or, accord. to 'Alee Ibn- 'Eesà, a sort of thing [absolutely]: (Mgh:) or a sort of thing having its like, (El-Ghooree, Mgh, Msb,) as in the case of species; (Msb;) or having its contrary, (El-Ghooree, Mgh, Msb,) as the moist and the dry, and the male and the female, and the night and the day, and the bitter and the sweet; (Msb;) though sometimes applied to any sort of thing; and to a single thing: (El-Ghooree, Mgh:) or it is applied to a single thing only when having with it a thing of the same kind; (Mgh, Msb;) زَوْجَانِ signifying a pair, or couple, of such things: (Mgh:) the pl. is أَزْوَاجِ : (TA:) you say زَوْجَانِ مِنْ حَمَامٍ and زَوْجَا حَمَامٍ [A pair of pigeons]: (A:) and اِشْتَرَيْتُ زَوْجَى حَمَامٍ [I bought a pair of pigeons], meaning a male and a female: (S:) and زَوْجَا نِعَالٍ [A pair of sandals]: (S, A:) and in like manner زَوْجَيْنِ is used in the Kur xi. 42 and xxiii. 28; (S;) meaning a male and a female: (Bd, Jel:) or, accord. to the M, زَوْجٌ signifies one of a pair or couple: and also a pair or couple together: (TA:) and in like manner says AO, (Mgh, Msb,) and IKt, and IF: (Msb:) and ISh says that it signifies two; (Mgh;) and so says IDrd: (Msb:) so that you say, هُمَا زَوْجٌ as well as هُمَا زَوْجَانِ [meaning They two are a pair, or couple]; (S, K, TA;) like as you say, هُمَا سَوَآءٌ and هُمَا سِيَّانِ : (S, TA:) and عِنْدِى زَوْجُ نِعَالٍ , meaning [I have] two [sandals]; and زَوْجَانِ , meaning four: (Msb:) or زَوْجُ حَمَامٍ as meaning a male and a female [of pigeons] is a phrase which should not be used; one to which the vulgar are addicted: (TA:) IAmb says, the vulgar are wrong in thinking that زَوْجٌ signifies two; for the Arabs used not to employ such a phrase as زَوْجُ حَمَامٍ , but used to say زَوْجَانِ مِنَ الحَمَامِ , (Mgh, Msb, TA,) meaning a male and a female; (TA;) and زَوْجَانِ مِنَ الخِفَافِ , (Mgh, Msb, TA,) meaning the right and the left [of boots]: (TA:) nor did they apply the term زَوْجٌ to one of birds, like as they applied the dual, زَوْجَانِ , to two; but they applied the term فَرْدٌ to the male, and فَرْدَةٌ to the female: (Mgh, Msb:) Es-Sijistánee, also, says that the term زَوْجٌ should not be applied to two, neither of birds nor of other things, for this is a usage of the ignorant; but to every two, زَوْجَانِ : (Msb:) Az says that the grammarians disapprove the saying of ISh that زَوْجٌ signifies two of any things, (Mgh, * TA,) and that زَوْجَانِ مِنْ خِفَافٍ signifies [Two pairs of boots, or] four [boots]; for زَوْجٌ with them signifies one [of a pair or couple]: a man and his wife [together] are termed زَوْجَانِ : and ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ in the Kur [vi. 144 and xxxix. 8] means Eight ones [of pairs or couples]: the primary meaning of زَوْجٌ being that first mentioned in this paragraph; (TA:) in the Kur xxii. 5 and 1. 7 [it seems to be implied that it means pair or couple; but more probably in these instances] it means sort, or species: (Bd, Jel:) it is also expl. by the word لَوْنٌ [used in this last sense]: (T, TA;) in the Kur xxxviii. 58, its pl. أَزْوَاجٌ means أَلْوَانٌ and أَنْوَاعٌ [i. e. sorts, or species] of punishment: F explains the sing. as meaning لَوْنٌ مِنَ الدِّيبَاجِ وَنَحْوِهِ [a sort, or species, of silk brocade and the like]; but his restricting the signification by the words من الديباج ونحوه is not right, as is shown by a citation, in the T, of a verse of El-Aashà, in which he uses the phrase كُلُّ زَوْجٍ مِنَ الدِّيبَاجِ [every sort, or species, of silk brocade], as an ex. of زوج in the sense of لون . (TA.) [Hence,] A woman's husband: and a man's wife: in which latter sense زَوْجَةٌ is also used; (S, M, A, Mgh, * Msb, K; *) as in a verse of El-Farezdak cited in art بول , conj. 10; (S, Mgh;) but it is disallowed by As; (TA;) and the former word is the one of high authority, (Mgh, Msb,) and is that which occurs in the Kur, in ii. 33 and vii. 18, (S, Mgh, Msb, TA,) and in iv. 24, (Mgh, TA,) and in xxxiii. 37: (Mgh:) AHát says that the people of Nejd call a wife زَوْجَةٌ , and that the people of the Haram use this word: but ISk says that the people of El-Hijáz call a wife زَوْجٌ ; and the rest of the Arabs, زَوْجَةٌ : the lawyers use this latter word only, as applied to a wife, for the sake of perspicuity, fearing to confound the male with the female: (Msb:) the pl. of زَوْجٌ is أَزْوَاجٌ (Msb, K *) and زِوَجَةٌ ; (K;) and the pl. of زَوْجَةٌ is زَوْجَاتٌ (A, Mgh, Msb) and أَزْوَاجٌ also; (A, Msb;) and أَزَاوِيجُ occurs [as a pl. pl., i. e. pl. of أَزْوَاجُ ,] in a verse cited by ISk. (TA in art. نأج .) [Hence also,] A consociate, an associate, or a comrade: (A:) its pl. in this sense is أَزْوَاجٌ , (S, A, K,) occurring in the Kur xxxvii. 22. (S, A.) And A fellow, or like: pl. أَزْوَاجٌ : in this sense, each one of a pair of boots is the زوج of the other; and the husband is the زوج of the wife; and the wife, the زوج of the husband. (TA.) You say, عِنْدِى مِنْ هٰذَا أَزْوَاجٌ I have, of this, fellows, or likes. (TA.) As used by arithmeticians, (Mgh, Msb,) contr. of فَرْدٌ ; (S, Mgh, Msb, K;) i. e. it signifies An even number; a number that may be divided into two equal numbers; (Msb;) as, for instance, four, and eight, as opposed to three, and seven: (Mgh:) pl. أَزْوَاجٌ . (S, Mgh.) One says زَوْجٌ أَوْ فَرْدٌ [Even or odd?], like as one says خَسًا أَوْ زَكًا [or rather زَكًا أَوْ خَسًا ] and شَفْعٌ أَوْ وِتْرٌ . (S, Mgh.) Also A [kind of cloth such as is termed] نَمَط [q. v.]: or silk brocade; syn. دِيبَاجٌ : (TA:) or a نَمَط that is thrown over the [kind of vehicle called] هَوْدَج . (S, K, TA.)