Core sense — mother-of-pearl shell, oyster-shell; anything high, as a mountain side; the concha of the eargenerated
1
Maṣdar of صَدِفَ [q. v.].
2any building or structure that is high, or lofty, and great—صَدَفٌ
Also anything high, or lofty, such as a wall or a mountain; like what is termed هَدَفٌ; and the side of a mountain.
Az: so called by likeness to the صَدَف of a mountain, which is the side of it that faces one.
any building or structure that is high, or lofty, and great—هَدَفٌ
the place where a mountain, or a lofty mountain, ends or breaks off—صَدَفٌ
Also read صُدُفٌ, صُدَفٌ and صَدُفٌ, according to different readings of a passage in the Qur'ān 18:95, in which the dual occurs. Or: the side of a mountain. Or: the part between two mountains.
two mountains meeting together—الصَّدَفَانِ
This is its meaning as used in that verse; and الصُّدُفَانِ means the same. The copies of the K have مُتَلَازِقَانِ [i.e. cleaving together], but the correct reading is مُتَلَاقِيَانِ, as in the L [and M]; the mountains between Ya-jooj and Ma-jooj.
the two sides of a ravine, or of a valley—الصُّدُفَانِ
With damm to the د, that is, with two dammehs — this form especially, or this as well as الصَّدَفَانِ — meaning the two sides of the شِعْب [apparently here a ravine, or gap, between two mountains], or of the valley. So says IDrd.
Both mean the two sides of the mountain when they meet together and face each other, called لِتَصَادُفِهِمَا because of their meeting together and facing each other, with a [road such as is termed] فَجّ between them, or a شِعْب [explained above], or a valley.
3a kind of cover created in the sea, enclosing the pearl—صَدَفُ الدُّرَّةِ
a kind of cover created in the sea, enclosing the pearl—صَدَفُ الدُّرِّ
[The mother-of-pearl shell; or oyster-shell; and any shell of a mollusk: and, by an extension of its primary application, the oyster itself; and any shell-fish, or testaceous mollusk of the water, and likewise of the land:] the cover of the pearl.
It is composed of صَدَفَتَانِ [a pair of shell-valves], which are opened so as to disclose a kind of flesh in which is life, called the مَحَارَة [the oyster], and pearls are found in the like of it. The same as مَحَارٌ [which means oyster-shells, and also oysters themselves, and both of these may be meant here, as both are correct meanings of صَدَفٌ].
Ism waḥda with ة.
[In the Msb it is also said that الصَّدَفَةُ signifies the مَحَارَة, which is the مَحْمِل of the pilgrims; but I think this is a mistake, caused by understanding مَحَارَة here in a wrong sense, for I find no other authority for giving this meaning to الصَّدَفَةُ.]
Plural أَصْدَافٌ. [See an example of the plural under حَلَزُونٌ.]
3.1the concha of the ear—الصَّدَفَةُ
Hence. The Arabic term is مَحَارَة [the concha, i.e. the external, deep, and wide cavity around the hole of the ear].
the concha of the ear—صَدَفَةُ الأُذُنِ
3.2the two small hollows, or sockets, in each of which is set the head of a thigh-bone—الصَّدَفَتَانِ
And hence, also. In each of these hollows is a ligament (عَصَبَةٌ [apparently that called ligamentum teres, forming a tie]) to that head.
[And in the same way, the two sockets in the scapula, in each of which turns the head of one of the two upper arm-bones: see حَارِقَةٌ; or these, it seems, are called by some الصَّدَفَانِ.]
the part of the scapula which is the place of the socket—الصَّدَفُ
That is, the place of the وَابِلَة.
3.3figurative · مجازflesh, or a piece of flesh, growing in a wound of the head, next the skull, resembling cartilage—صَدَفٌ
4waves of the sea—أَصْدَافٌ
So it is said in the Tekmileh; the word is a plural.
Show Lane's original text
inf. n. of صَدِفَ [q. v.]. (M, Msb.) Also Anything high, or lofty, (As, S, M, O, K,) such as a wall and a mountain, (M,) or such as a wall and the like; (K;) like what is termed هَدَفٌ : (As, S, O:) and the side of a mountain: (M:) or صَدَفٌ and هَدَفٌ both signify any building or structure, that is high, or lofty, and great; (A'Obeyd, TA;) accord. to Az, likened to the صَدَف of a mountain, which is the side that faces one, thereof: (TA:) and صَدَفٌ and صُدُفٌ (S, M, O, K) and صُدَفٌ and صَدُفٌ , (O, K,) accord. to different readings of a passage in the Kur, (S, M, O, K,) [xviii. 95,] in which the dual occurs, (S, M, O,) signify the place of ending, or breaking off, (S, O, K,) of a mountain, (K,) or of a lofty mountain: (S, O:) or the side of a mountain: (K:) or the part between two mountains: (M:) or, as used in this instance, (K, TA,) in the verse of the Kur, (TA,) الصَّدَفَانِ , (M, K,) as also الصُّدُفَانِ , (M,) means two mountains (M, L, K) meeting together, (M, L, TA,) in the copies of the K, مُتَلَازِقَانِ [i. e. cleaving together], but the correct reading is مُتَلَاقِيَانِ , as in the L [and M], (TA,) between Ya-jooj and Ma-jooj: (M, L, K, TA:) and الصُّدُفَانِ , (M, K,) with damm to the د (M,) i. e. with two dammehs, especially, (K,) or this as well as الصَّدَفَانِ , (TA,) means the two sides of the شِعْب [app. here meaning ravine, or gap, between two mountains], or of the valley: (M, K, TA:) so says IDrd: (M, TA:) both signify the two sides of the mountain when they [meet together, and] face each other, so called لِتَصَادُفِهِمَا , i. e. because of their meeting together, and facing each other, having between them a [road such as is termed] فَجّ , or a شِعْب [expl. above], or a valley. (TA.) Also [The mother-of-pearl shell; or oyster-shell; and any shell of a mollusk: and, by an extension of its primary application, the oyster itself; and any shell-fish, or testaceous mollusk of the water, and likewise of the land:] the cover of the pearl; (K;) or this is called صَدَفُ الدُّرَّةِ , (S, O,) or صَدَفُ الدُّرِّ ; (Msb;) a kind of cover created in the sea, composed of [what are termed] صَدَفَتَانِ [i. e. a pair of shell-valves], which are opened from [i. e. so as to disclose] a kind of flesh in which is life, called the مَحَارَة [i. e. oyster], and in the like thereof are found pearls; (Lth, TA;) i. q. مَحَارٌ [which means oyster-shells, and also oysters themselves, and both of these may be here meant, as both are correct meanings of صَدَفٌ ]: (M:) n. un. with ة : (S, M, O, Msb, K:) [in the Msb it is also said that الصَّدَفَةُ signifies the مَحَارَة , which is the مَحْمِل of the pilgrims; but I think that this is a mistake, caused by understanding مَحَارَة here in a wrong sense; for I find no other authority for assigning this meaning to الصَّدَفَةُ :] pl. أَصْدَافٌ . (O, K.) [See an ex. of the pl. voce حَلَزُونٌ .] [Hence,] الصَّدَفَةُ signifies also, (M, TA,) or صَدَفَةُ الأُذُنِ , (O,) The مَحَارَة [or concha, i. e. the external, deep, and wide, cavity, around the hole,] of the ear. (M, O, TA.) [And hence, also,] الصَّدَفَتَانِ signifies The two small hollows, or sockets, in each of which is set the head of one of the two thing-bones, and in each of which is a ligament ( عَصَبَةٌ [app. that called ligamentum teres, forming a tie]) to that head. (M, TA.) [And in like manner, The two sockets in the scapula, in each of which turns the head of one of the two upper arm-bones: (see حَارِقَةٌ :) or these, it seems, are called by some الصَّدَفَانِ ; for it is said that] الصَّدَفُ signifies the part of the scapula which is the place of the وَابِلَة . (O, K.) And صَدَفٌ also signifies Flesh, (O,) or a piece of flesh, (K, TA,) growing in a wound of the head, next the skull, resembling the cartilages. (O, K.) And in the Tekmileh it is said that [the pl.] أَصْدَافٌ signifies Waves of the sea. (TA.) See also صُدَفٌ .