Arabic vocabulary
أَسِيرٌprisoner in Arabic
أَسِيرٌ is how you say “prisoner” in Arabic. Hear it pronounced and see it used in real example sentences from classical texts below.
Root ا س ر (ʾ-s-r)noun/adjective (fa'īl pattern)Pronounced asīr
Meaning of prisoner in Arabic
- captive, prisoner — used broadly for anyone taken captive, even if not literally bound
- one bound or shackled — literal sense: tied with an إِسَار, a thong of untanned hide
- an imprisoned person — given by one authority as a plain synonym of 'imprisoned'
Applied to a captive or prisoner even when not literally tied up with a rope. The plural is أَسْرَى (also أَسَرَاءُ, أُسَارَى), and when 'woman' isn't already stated the feminine form أَسِيرَةٌ is used instead.
Words from the same root
- أَسَرَهُhe bound him, or took him captive
- أَسْرٌbinding; the act of taking captive
- إِسَارٌa thong or cord used for binding
- أُسْرَةٌone's close family or kin
- مَأْسُورٌa captive, prisoner
Common questions
- How do you say "prisoner" in Arabic?
- أَسِير (asīr).
- What is the plural of أسير؟
- أَسْرَى, also أَسَرَاءُ or أُسَارَى.
Definitions synthesised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).
Example sentences
قال جئت لهذا الأسير الذي في أيديكم
He said: I came for this prisoner who is in your hands.
الْأَسِيرِ — prisoner. al- = 'the'; asir means 'captive, prisoner' — it follows 'li-', so it takes the 'of' (genitive) ending.
From: Early Converts to Islam →فقال النبي ﷺ فقهوا أخاكم في دينه، وأقرئوه القرآن وأطلقوا له أسيره ففعلوا
Then the Prophet ﷺ said: Educate your brother in his religion, teach him the Quran, and release his captive, and they did so.
أَسِيرَهُ — his captive. asir means 'captive'; the ending '-hu' adds 'his' — 'his captive'; the object of 'release'.
From: Early Converts to Islam →
Related words
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