علم

See also: غلم and ع ل م

Arabic

Etymology 1

Root
ع ل م (ʕ l m)
26 terms

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.li.ma/

Verb

عَلِمَ • (ʕalima) I (non-past يَعْلَمُ (yaʕlamu), verbal noun عِلْم (ʕilm))

1. (transitive) to know, to have knowledge, to be cognizant, to be aware
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 96:14:

     أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللهَ يَرَى

     ʔalam yaʕlam biʔanna llāha yarā

     Does he not know that Allah sees ˹all˺?

2. to be informed, to be familiar, to be acquainted
3. to perceive, to discern, to find out, to learn

Conjugation

    Conjugation of عَلِمَ (I, sound, i ~ a, impersonal passive (?), verbal noun عِلْم)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						عِلْم ʕilm
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						عَالِم ʕālim
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَعْلُوم maʕlūm
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	عَلِمْتُ ʕalimtu	عَلِمْتَ ʕalimta	عَلِمَ ʕalima		عَلِمْتُمَا ʕalimtumā	عَلِمَا ʕalimā		عَلِمْنَا ʕalimnā	عَلِمْتُمْ ʕalimtum	عَلِمُوا ʕalimū
	f		عَلِمْتِ ʕalimti	عَلِمَتْ ʕalimat			عَلِمَتَا ʕalimatā			عَلِمْتُنَّ ʕalimtunna	عَلِمْنَ ʕalimna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَعْلَمُ ʔaʕlamu	تَعْلَمُ taʕlamu	يَعْلَمُ yaʕlamu		تَعْلَمَانِ taʕlamāni	يَعْلَمَانِ yaʕlamāni		نَعْلَمُ naʕlamu	تَعْلَمُونَ taʕlamūna	يَعْلَمُونَ yaʕlamūna
	f		تَعْلَمِينَ taʕlamīna	تَعْلَمُ taʕlamu			تَعْلَمَانِ taʕlamāni			تَعْلَمْنَ taʕlamna	يَعْلَمْنَ yaʕlamna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَعْلَمَ ʔaʕlama	تَعْلَمَ taʕlama	يَعْلَمَ yaʕlama		تَعْلَمَا taʕlamā	يَعْلَمَا yaʕlamā		نَعْلَمَ naʕlama	تَعْلَمُوا taʕlamū	يَعْلَمُوا yaʕlamū
	f		تَعْلَمِي taʕlamī	تَعْلَمَ taʕlama			تَعْلَمَا taʕlamā			تَعْلَمْنَ taʕlamna	يَعْلَمْنَ yaʕlamna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَعْلَمْ ʔaʕlam	تَعْلَمْ taʕlam	يَعْلَمْ yaʕlam		تَعْلَمَا taʕlamā	يَعْلَمَا yaʕlamā		نَعْلَمْ naʕlam	تَعْلَمُوا taʕlamū	يَعْلَمُوا yaʕlamū
	f		تَعْلَمِي taʕlamī	تَعْلَمْ taʕlam			تَعْلَمَا taʕlamā			تَعْلَمْنَ taʕlamna	يَعْلَمْنَ yaʕlamna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِعْلَمْ iʕlam			اِعْلَمَا iʕlamā				اِعْلَمُوا iʕlamū
	f		اِعْلَمِي iʕlamī							اِعْلَمْنَ iʕlamna
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	—	—	عُلِمَ ʕulima		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	—	—	يُعْلَمُ yuʕlamu		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	—	—	يُعْلَمَ yuʕlama		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	—	—	يُعْلَمْ yuʕlam		—	—		—	—	—
	f		—	—			—			—	—

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕal.la.ma/

Verb

عَلَّمَ • (ʕallama) II (non-past يُعَلِّمُ (yuʕallimu), verbal noun تَعْلِيم (taʕlīm))

1. (ditransitive) to teach, to instruct, to train, to educate

   المعلم يعلم الطلاب الرياضيات.

   Al-muʕallim yuʕallimu at-ṭullāb ar-riyāḍiyyāt.

   The teacher teaches the students mathematics.

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 26:49:

     إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ فَلَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

     ʔinnahu lakabīrukumu llaḏī ʕallamakumu as-siḥra falasawfa taʕlamūna

     He is indeed your chief who has taught you magic! Soon you will know!

2. (transitive) to designate, to mark, to earmark

Conjugation

    Conjugation of عَلَّمَ (II, sound, full passive, verbal noun تَعْلِيم)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						تَعْلِيم taʕlīm
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						مُعَلِّم muʕallim
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مُعَلَّم muʕallam
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	عَلَّمْتُ ʕallamtu	عَلَّمْتَ ʕallamta	عَلَّمَ ʕallama		عَلَّمْتُمَا ʕallamtumā	عَلَّمَا ʕallamā		عَلَّمْنَا ʕallamnā	عَلَّمْتُمْ ʕallamtum	عَلَّمُوا ʕallamū
	f		عَلَّمْتِ ʕallamti	عَلَّمَتْ ʕallamat			عَلَّمَتَا ʕallamatā			عَلَّمْتُنَّ ʕallamtunna	عَلَّمْنَ ʕallamna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُعَلِّمُ ʔuʕallimu	تُعَلِّمُ tuʕallimu	يُعَلِّمُ yuʕallimu		تُعَلِّمَانِ tuʕallimāni	يُعَلِّمَانِ yuʕallimāni		نُعَلِّمُ nuʕallimu	تُعَلِّمُونَ tuʕallimūna	يُعَلِّمُونَ yuʕallimūna
	f		تُعَلِّمِينَ tuʕallimīna	تُعَلِّمُ tuʕallimu			تُعَلِّمَانِ tuʕallimāni			تُعَلِّمْنَ tuʕallimna	يُعَلِّمْنَ yuʕallimna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُعَلِّمَ ʔuʕallima	تُعَلِّمَ tuʕallima	يُعَلِّمَ yuʕallima		تُعَلِّمَا tuʕallimā	يُعَلِّمَا yuʕallimā		نُعَلِّمَ nuʕallima	تُعَلِّمُوا tuʕallimū	يُعَلِّمُوا yuʕallimū
	f		تُعَلِّمِي tuʕallimī	تُعَلِّمَ tuʕallima			تُعَلِّمَا tuʕallimā			تُعَلِّمْنَ tuʕallimna	يُعَلِّمْنَ yuʕallimna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُعَلِّمْ ʔuʕallim	تُعَلِّمْ tuʕallim	يُعَلِّمْ yuʕallim		تُعَلِّمَا tuʕallimā	يُعَلِّمَا yuʕallimā		نُعَلِّمْ nuʕallim	تُعَلِّمُوا tuʕallimū	يُعَلِّمُوا yuʕallimū
	f		تُعَلِّمِي tuʕallimī	تُعَلِّمْ tuʕallim			تُعَلِّمَا tuʕallimā			تُعَلِّمْنَ tuʕallimna	يُعَلِّمْنَ yuʕallimna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		عَلِّمْ ʕallim			عَلِّمَا ʕallimā				عَلِّمُوا ʕallimū
	f		عَلِّمِي ʕallimī							عَلِّمْنَ ʕallimna
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	عُلِّمْتُ ʕullimtu	عُلِّمْتَ ʕullimta	عُلِّمَ ʕullima		عُلِّمْتُمَا ʕullimtumā	عُلِّمَا ʕullimā		عُلِّمْنَا ʕullimnā	عُلِّمْتُمْ ʕullimtum	عُلِّمُوا ʕullimū
	f		عُلِّمْتِ ʕullimti	عُلِّمَتْ ʕullimat			عُلِّمَتَا ʕullimatā			عُلِّمْتُنَّ ʕullimtunna	عُلِّمْنَ ʕullimna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُعَلَّمُ ʔuʕallamu	تُعَلَّمُ tuʕallamu	يُعَلَّمُ yuʕallamu		تُعَلَّمَانِ tuʕallamāni	يُعَلَّمَانِ yuʕallamāni		نُعَلَّمُ nuʕallamu	تُعَلَّمُونَ tuʕallamūna	يُعَلَّمُونَ yuʕallamūna
	f		تُعَلَّمِينَ tuʕallamīna	تُعَلَّمُ tuʕallamu			تُعَلَّمَانِ tuʕallamāni			تُعَلَّمْنَ tuʕallamna	يُعَلَّمْنَ yuʕallamna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُعَلَّمَ ʔuʕallama	تُعَلَّمَ tuʕallama	يُعَلَّمَ yuʕallama		تُعَلَّمَا tuʕallamā	يُعَلَّمَا yuʕallamā		نُعَلَّمَ nuʕallama	تُعَلَّمُوا tuʕallamū	يُعَلَّمُوا yuʕallamū
	f		تُعَلَّمِي tuʕallamī	تُعَلَّمَ tuʕallama			تُعَلَّمَا tuʕallamā			تُعَلَّمْنَ tuʕallamna	يُعَلَّمْنَ yuʕallamna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُعَلَّمْ ʔuʕallam	تُعَلَّمْ tuʕallam	يُعَلَّمْ yuʕallam		تُعَلَّمَا tuʕallamā	يُعَلَّمَا yuʕallamā		نُعَلَّمْ nuʕallam	تُعَلَّمُوا tuʕallamū	يُعَلَّمُوا yuʕallamū
	f		تُعَلَّمِي tuʕallamī	تُعَلَّمْ tuʕallam			تُعَلَّمَا tuʕallamā			تُعَلَّمْنَ tuʕallamna	يُعَلَّمْنَ yuʕallamna

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕilm/

• ʿilm:

  (file)

Noun

عِلْم • (ʕilm) m (plural عُلُوم (ʕulūm))

1. verbal noun of عَلِمَ (ʕalima) (form I)
2. knowledge, learning, lore
3. cognition, acquaintance
4. information
5. perception, knowledge
6. (plural عُلُوم (ʕulūm)) science

   الْعُلُوم

   al-ʕulūm

   the natural sciences

Declension

Declension of noun عِلْم (ʕilm)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عِلْم ʕilm	الْعِلْم al-ʕilm	عِلْم ʕilm
Nominative	عِلْمٌ ʕilmun	الْعِلْمُ al-ʕilmu	عِلْمُ ʕilmu
Accusative	عِلْمًا ʕilman	الْعِلْمَ al-ʕilma	عِلْمَ ʕilma
Genitive	عِلْمٍ ʕilmin	الْعِلْمِ al-ʕilmi	عِلْمِ ʕilmi
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عِلْمَيْن ʕilmayn	الْعِلْمَيْن al-ʕilmayn	عِلْمَيْ ʕilmay
Nominative	عِلْمَانِ ʕilmāni	الْعِلْمَانِ al-ʕilmāni	عِلْمَا ʕilmā
Accusative	عِلْمَيْنِ ʕilmayni	الْعِلْمَيْنِ al-ʕilmayni	عِلْمَيْ ʕilmay
Genitive	عِلْمَيْنِ ʕilmayni	الْعِلْمَيْنِ al-ʕilmayni	عِلْمَيْ ʕilmay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عُلُوم ʕulūm	الْعُلُوم al-ʕulūm	عُلُوم ʕulūm
Nominative	عُلُومٌ ʕulūmun	الْعُلُومُ al-ʕulūmu	عُلُومُ ʕulūmu
Accusative	عُلُومًا ʕulūman	الْعُلُومَ al-ʕulūma	عُلُومَ ʕulūma
Genitive	عُلُومٍ ʕulūmin	الْعُلُومِ al-ʕulūmi	عُلُومِ ʕulūmi

Descendants

• Maltese: għelm
• → Avar: гӏелму (ʻelmu)
• → Azerbaijani: elm
• → Bashkir: ғилем (ğilem)
• → Bengali: এলেম (elem)
• → Chechen: ӏилм (ˀilm), ӏилма (ˀilma)
• → Crimean Tatar: илим, ilim
• → Hindi: इल्म (ilm)
• → Indonesian: ilmu
• → Javanese: èlmu
• → Karachay-Balkar: илму (ilmu)
• → Kazakh: ғылым (ğylym)
• → Kumyk: илму (ilmu)
• → Kyrgyz: илим (ilim)
• → Lezgi: илим (ilim)
• → Malay: ilmu
• → Nogai: илми (ilmi)
• → Ottoman Turkish: علم (ʿilm, ʿilim)
  • > Turkish: ilim (inherited)
• → Punjabi: ਇਲਮ (ilam), عِلْم (ʻilm)
• → Persian: عِلْم ('elm)
  • → Gujarati: અલમ (alam)
• → Turkmen: ylym
• → Tatar: гыйлем (ğıylem), ğilem
• → Urdu: عِلْم ('ilm)
• → Uyghur: ئىلىم (ilim)
• → Uzbek: ilm

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.lam/

Noun

عَلَم • (ʕalam) m (plural أَعْلَام (ʔaʕlām))

1. sign, token, mark, badge
2. harelip
3. road sign, guidepost
4. flag, banner
5. authority, luminary, star, personage, distinguished man
6. a mountain

   أَشْهَرُ مِنْ نَارٍ عَلَى عَلَم ― ʔašharu min nārin ʕalā ʕalam ― very famous (literally, “more famous than a fire on a mountain”)

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 42:32:

     وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ ٱلْجَوَارِ فِي ٱلْبَحْرِ كَٱلْأَعْلَامِ

     wamin ʔāyātihi l-jawāri fī l-baḥri kal-ʔaʕlāmi

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

7. (grammar, linguistics) proper noun

Declension

Declension of noun عَلَم (ʕalam)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَلَم ʕalam	الْعَلَم al-ʕalam	عَلَم ʕalam
Nominative	عَلَمٌ ʕalamun	الْعَلَمُ al-ʕalamu	عَلَمُ ʕalamu
Accusative	عَلَمًا ʕalaman	الْعَلَمَ al-ʕalama	عَلَمَ ʕalama
Genitive	عَلَمٍ ʕalamin	الْعَلَمِ al-ʕalami	عَلَمِ ʕalami
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَلَمَيْن ʕalamayn	الْعَلَمَيْن al-ʕalamayn	عَلَمَيْ ʕalamay
Nominative	عَلَمَانِ ʕalamāni	الْعَلَمَانِ al-ʕalamāni	عَلَمَا ʕalamā
Accusative	عَلَمَيْنِ ʕalamayni	الْعَلَمَيْنِ al-ʕalamayni	عَلَمَيْ ʕalamay
Genitive	عَلَمَيْنِ ʕalamayni	الْعَلَمَيْنِ al-ʕalamayni	عَلَمَيْ ʕalamay
Plural	basic broken plural triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	أَعْلَام ʔaʕlām	الْأَعْلَام al-ʔaʕlām	أَعْلَام ʔaʕlām
Nominative	أَعْلَامٌ ʔaʕlāmun	الْأَعْلَامُ al-ʔaʕlāmu	أَعْلَامُ ʔaʕlāmu
Accusative	أَعْلَامًا ʔaʕlāman	الْأَعْلَامَ al-ʔaʕlāma	أَعْلَامَ ʔaʕlāma
Genitive	أَعْلَامٍ ʔaʕlāmin	الْأَعْلَامِ al-ʔaʕlāmi	أَعْلَامِ ʔaʕlāmi

Descendants

• Maltese: għelm
• → Hindi: अलम (alam)
• → Ottoman Turkish: عَلَم (ʿalam, ʿalem)
  • > Turkish: alem (inherited)
• → Urdu: عَلَم ('alam)

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕaː.lam/

Noun

عٰلَم • (ʕālam) m

1. Classical Arabic form of عَالَم (ʕālam)

References

• Wehr, Hans (1979) “علم”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN

Gulf Arabic

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕələm/

Noun

عَلَم • (ʕalam) m (before il- عَلَم (ʕalam), plural اَعْلام (aʕlām))

1. flag, banner, standard

Etymology 2

From Arabic عِلْم (ʕilm).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕɪlm/

Noun

عِلْم • (ʕilm) m (plural عُلوم (ʕulūm))

1. science, knowledge

Persian

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Arabic عِلْم (ʕilm), from عَلِمَ (ʕalima).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ʔilm]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɪlm]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔɪlm]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔɪlm]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔilm]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔelm]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔilm]

Readings
Classical reading?	ilm
Dari reading?	ilm
Iranian reading?	elm
Tajik reading?	ilm

Noun

Dari	علم
Iranian Persian
Tajik	илм

عِلْم • ('elm) (plural علوم ('olum))

1. science (knowledge via the scientific method)
2. knowledge, science

   Synonym: دانش (dâneš)

   • c. 1260s, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, translated by Reynold A. Nicholson, مثنوی معنوی [Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi], volume I, verse 3461:

     بینی اندر دل علوم انبیا / بی‌کتاب و بی‌معید و اوستا

     bini andar del 'olum-e anbiyâ / bi-ketâb o bi-mo'id o ustâ

     And behold within thy heart [all] the sciences of the prophets, without book and without preceptor and master.

Derived terms

• شبه‌علم (šabe'elmi, “pseudoscience”)
• علمی ('elmi, “scientific”)

 

Related terms

• عالم ('âlem, “knowledgeable”)
• معلم (mo'allem, “teacher”)

 

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ʔa.ˈlam]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lǽm]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lǽm]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lǽm]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lǽm]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔæ.lǽm]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [ʔä.lǽm]

Readings
Classical reading?	alam
Dari reading?	alam
Iranian reading?	alam
Tajik reading?	alam

Noun

عَلَم • ('alam) (plural علم‌ها ('alam-hâ))

1. flag
2. standard (flag)
3. banner

Synonyms

• پرچم (parčam)
• درفش (derafš)
• نشان (nešân)

Descendants

• → Gujarati: અલમ (alam)

South Levantine Arabic

Root
ع ل م
7 terms

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَلَّمَ (ʕallama).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕal.lam/, [ˈʕal.lam]

• Audio (al-Lidd):

  (file)

Verb

علّم • (ʕallam) II (present بعلّم (biʕallem))

1. to teach

Conjugation

Conjugation of علّم (ʕallam)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	علّمت (ʕallamt)	علّمت (ʕallamt)	علّم (ʕallam)		علّمنا (ʕallamna)	علّمتو (ʕallamtu)	علّمو (ʕallamu)
	f		علّمتي (ʕallamti)	علّمت (ʕallamat)
present	m	بعلّم (baʕallem)	بتعلّم (bitʕallem)	بعلّم (biʕallem)		منعلّم (minʕallem)	بتعلّمو (bitʕallmu)	بعلّمو (biʕallmu)
	f		بتعلّمي (bitʕallmi)	بتعلّم (bitʕallem)
subjunctive	m	اعلّم (aʕallem)	تعلّم (tʕallem)	يعلّم (yʕallem)		نعلّم (nʕallem)	تعلّمو (tʕallmu)	يعلّمو (yʕallmu)
	f		تعلّمي (tʕallmi)	تعلّم (tʕallem)
imperative	m		علّم (ʕallem)				علّمو (ʕallmu)
	f		علّمي (ʕallmi)

Etymology 2

From Arabic عِلْم (ʕilm).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕilm/, [ˈʕɪ.l(ɪ)m]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Noun

علم • (ʕilm) m (plural علوم (ʕulūm))

1. knowledge, science

   Synonym: معرفة (maʕrife)

   على علمي ― ʕala ʕilmi ― as far as I know

Etymology 3

From Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.lam/, [ˈʕa.lam]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Noun

علم • (ʕalam) m (plural أعلام (ʾaʕlām))

1. flag

Urdu

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Arabic عِلْم (ʕilm).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ɪlm/

Noun

عِلْم • ('ilm) m (Hindi spelling इल्म)

1. knowledge, learning

   Synonym: دانش (dāniś)

2. science

   Synonym: سائنس (sāins)

3. literature

   Synonym: ادب (adab)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ə.ləm/

Noun

عَلَم • ('alam) m (Hindi spelling अलम)

1. mark, sign, decoration
2. spear
3. (geometry) gnomon
4. (grammar) proper noun