How do you say "to bear fruit" in Arabic?

أَثْمَرَ (athmara) — the form IV verb used of a tree putting forth or bearing fruit.

What is the difference between ثَمَرَ and أَثْمَرَ؟

ثَمَرَ (form I) is used of fruit itself becoming ripe, while أَثْمَرَ (form IV) is used of the tree putting forth or bearing fruit, and figuratively of a person's wealth becoming abundant.

Arabic vocabulary

أَثْمَرَfruit in Arabic

أَثْمَرَ is how you say “fruit” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in a real example sentence from classical texts below.

Root ث م ر (th-m-r)verb (form IV)Pronounced athmara

Meaning of fruit in Arabic

to put forth fruit, bear fruit (of a tree) — Lexicographers differ on the exact stage: some say it denotes fruit that has appeared but is still unripe, others that it marks the tree reaching the time of bearing.
to have fruit appear that is not yet ripe — said of a person, of his trees
to become abundant in wealth — tropical (figurative) use, paralleling fruit-bearing
to feed someone with fruit — the rarer transitive use of the verb

Form IV of the root ث م ر, set against the form I verb ثَمَرَ by the lexicographers: accounts differ on whether أَثْمَرَ marks a tree bearing fruit while still unripe or a tree that has reached its fruiting season. The same verb extends figuratively to a person whose wealth grows abundant, mirroring the literal sense of a tree producing fruit.

Words from the same root

ثَمَرَform I verb: fruit ripened; or, he gathered shrubs for sheep/goats to graze
ثمّرform II verb: (of a plant) shed its blossom and set its fruit; (of a person) to make wealth increase
ثَمَرٌfruit of trees; also, figuratively, property or wealth, or gold and silver
ثِمَارٌfruits (plural of thamar)
مُثْمِرٌfruit-bearing, fruitful (active participle of athmara)

Common questions

How do you say "to bear fruit" in Arabic?: أَثْمَرَ (athmara) — the form IV verb used of a tree putting forth or bearing fruit.
What is the difference between ثَمَرَ and أَثْمَرَ؟: ثَمَرَ (form I) is used of fruit itself becoming ripe, while أَثْمَرَ (form IV) is used of the tree putting forth or bearing fruit, and figuratively of a person's wealth becoming abundant.

Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).

Example sentences

فَإِذا تمكّنت وقويت أثمرت الطَّاعَة،
If it becomes established and strong, it bears the fruit of obedience.
أَثْمَرَتْ — it bears the fruit. Past-tense verb 'bore fruit'; the '-at' ending marks the feminine subject (the tree).
From: Knowledge, Reverence, Obedience →

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