عجم
Arabic
Etymology
From the root ع ج م (ʕ-j-m). The word عَجَم (ʕajam, “non-Arabs”) is from a pre-Islamic form أَعْجَم (ʔaʕjam), from the root ع ج م (ʕ-j-m), referring to people who speak unclearly (thus reflecting the same semantic evolution as Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “barbarian”)).
Noun
عَجَم • (ʕajam) m (collective, singulative عَجَمِيّ m (ʕajamiyy), plural أَعْجَام (ʔaʕjām))
- non-Arabs (as foreigners or barbarians)
- (historical) Persians.
- Synonym: فُرْس (furs)
Usage notes
- The affective value attributed to the word depends on the point of view of the user, and the historical period. For example, it had a markedly negative connotation during the Umayyad period, whereas it was often quite positive in the Abbasid period, when Iranians had much political and social influence.
Declension
Collective | basic collective triptote | ||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | عَجَم ʕajam |
الْعَجَم al-ʕajam |
عَجَم ʕajam |
Nominative | عَجَمٌ ʕajamun |
الْعَجَمُ al-ʕajamu |
عَجَمُ ʕajamu |
Accusative | عَجَمًا ʕajaman |
الْعَجَمَ al-ʕajama |
عَجَمَ ʕajama |
Genitive | عَجَمٍ ʕajamin |
الْعَجَمِ al-ʕajami |
عَجَمِ ʕajami |
Singulative | basic singulative triptote | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | عَجَمِي ʕajamī |
الْعَجَمِي al-ʕajamī |
عَجَمِي ʕajamī |
Nominative | عَجَمِيٌّ ʕajamiyyun |
الْعَجَمِيُّ al-ʕajamiyyu |
عَجَمِيُّ ʕajamiyyu |
Accusative | عَجَمِيًّا ʕajamiyyan |
الْعَجَمِيَّ al-ʕajamiyya |
عَجَمِيَّ ʕajamiyya |
Genitive | عَجَمِيٍّ ʕajamiyyin |
الْعَجَمِيِّ al-ʕajamiyyi |
عَجَمِيِّ ʕajamiyyi |
Dual | Indefinite | Definite | Construct |
Informal | عَجَمِيَّيْن ʕajamiyyayn |
الْعَجَمِيَّيْن al-ʕajamiyyayn |
عَجَمِيَّيْ ʕajamiyyay |
Nominative | عَجَمِيَّانِ ʕajamiyyāni |
الْعَجَمِيَّانِ al-ʕajamiyyāni |
عَجَمِيَّا ʕajamiyyā |
Accusative | عَجَمِيَّيْنِ ʕajamiyyayni |
الْعَجَمِيَّيْنِ al-ʕajamiyyayni |
عَجَمِيَّيْ ʕajamiyyay |
Genitive | عَجَمِيَّيْنِ ʕajamiyyayni |
الْعَجَمِيَّيْنِ al-ʕajamiyyayni |
عَجَمِيَّيْ ʕajamiyyay |
Paucal (3-10) | sound masculine paucal | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | عَجَمِيِّين ʕajamiyyīn |
الْعَجَمِيِّين al-ʕajamiyyīn |
عَجَمِيِّي ʕajamiyyī |
Nominative | عَجَمِيُّونَ ʕajamiyyūna |
الْعَجَمِيُّونَ al-ʕajamiyyūna |
عَجَمِيُّو ʕajamiyyū |
Accusative | عَجَمِيِّينَ ʕajamiyyīna |
الْعَجَمِيِّينَ al-ʕajamiyyīna |
عَجَمِيِّي ʕajamiyyī |
Genitive | عَجَمِيِّينَ ʕajamiyyīna |
الْعَجَمِيِّينَ al-ʕajamiyyīna |
عَجَمِيِّي ʕajamiyyī |
Plural of variety | basic broken plural triptote | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | أَعْجَام ʔaʕjām |
الْأَعْجَام al-ʔaʕjām |
أَعْجَام ʔaʕjām |
Nominative | أَعْجَامٌ ʔaʕjāmun |
الْأَعْجَامُ al-ʔaʕjāmu |
أَعْجَامُ ʔaʕjāmu |
Accusative | أَعْجَامًا ʔaʕjāman |
الْأَعْجَامَ al-ʔaʕjāma |
أَعْجَامَ ʔaʕjāma |
Genitive | أَعْجَامٍ ʔaʕjāmin |
الْأَعْجَامِ al-ʔaʕjāmi |
أَعْجَامِ ʔaʕjāmi |
Synonyms
- أَعْجَم (ʔaʕjam)
Antonyms
- عَرَب (ʕarab)
Related terms
Descendants
Conjugation
verbal noun الْمَصْدَر |
ʕajm | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل |
عَاجِم ʕājim | |||||||||||
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول |
مَعْجُوم maʕjūm | |||||||||||
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 | عَجَمْتُ ʕajamtu |
عَجَمْتَ ʕajamta |
ʕajama |
عَجَمْتُمَا ʕajamtumā |
عَجَمَا ʕajamā |
عَجَمْنَا ʕajamnā |
عَجَمْتُمْ ʕajamtum |
عَجَمُوا ʕajamū | |||
f | عَجَمْتِ ʕajamti |
عَجَمَتْ ʕajamat |
عَجَمَتَا ʕajamatā |
عَجَمْتُنَّ ʕajamtunna |
عَجَمْنَ ʕajamna | |||||||
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع |
m | ʔaʕjumu |
taʕjumu |
yaʕjumu |
تَعْجُمَانِ taʕjumāni |
يَعْجُمَانِ yaʕjumāni |
naʕjumu |
taʕjumūna |
yaʕjumūna | |||
f | taʕjumīna |
taʕjumu |
تَعْجُمَانِ taʕjumāni |
taʕjumna |
yaʕjumna | |||||||
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب |
m | ʔaʕjuma |
taʕjuma |
yaʕjuma |
تَعْجُمَا taʕjumā |
يَعْجُمَا yaʕjumā |
naʕjuma |
taʕjumū |
yaʕjumū | |||
f | taʕjumī |
taʕjuma |
تَعْجُمَا taʕjumā |
taʕjumna |
yaʕjumna | |||||||
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم |
m | ʔaʕjum |
taʕjum |
yaʕjum |
تَعْجُمَا taʕjumā |
يَعْجُمَا yaʕjumā |
naʕjum |
taʕjumū |
yaʕjumū | |||
f | taʕjumī |
taʕjum |
تَعْجُمَا taʕjumā |
taʕjumna |
yaʕjumna | |||||||
imperative الْأَمْر |
m | اُعْجُمْ uʕjum |
اُعْجُمَا uʕjumā |
اُعْجُمُوا uʕjumū |
||||||||
f | اُعْجُمِي uʕjumī |
اُعْجُمْنَ uʕjumna | ||||||||||
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 | عُجِمْتُ ʕujimtu |
عُجِمْتَ ʕujimta |
ʕujima |
عُجِمْتُمَا ʕujimtumā |
عُجِمَا ʕujimā |
عُجِمْنَا ʕujimnā |
عُجِمْتُمْ ʕujimtum |
عُجِمُوا ʕujimū | |||
f | عُجِمْتِ ʕujimti |
عُجِمَتْ ʕujimat |
عُجِمَتَا ʕujimatā |
عُجِمْتُنَّ ʕujimtunna |
عُجِمْنَ ʕujimna | |||||||
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع |
m | ʔuʕjamu |
tuʕjamu |
yuʕjamu |
تُعْجَمَانِ tuʕjamāni |
يُعْجَمَانِ yuʕjamāni |
nuʕjamu |
tuʕjamūna |
yuʕjamūna | |||
f | tuʕjamīna |
tuʕjamu |
تُعْجَمَانِ tuʕjamāni |
tuʕjamna |
yuʕjamna | |||||||
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب |
m | ʔuʕjama |
tuʕjama |
yuʕjama |
تُعْجَمَا tuʕjamā |
يُعْجَمَا yuʕjamā |
nuʕjama |
tuʕjamū |
yuʕjamū | |||
f | tuʕjamī |
tuʕjama |
تُعْجَمَا tuʕjamā |
tuʕjamna |
yuʕjamna | |||||||
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم |
m | ʔuʕjam |
tuʕjam |
yuʕjam |
تُعْجَمَا tuʕjamā |
يُعْجَمَا yuʕjamā |
nuʕjam |
tuʕjamū |
yuʕjamū | |||
f | tuʕjamī |
tuʕjam |
تُعْجَمَا tuʕjamā |
tuʕjamna |
yuʕjamna |
Verb
عَجَّمَ • (ʕajjama) II, non-past يُعَجِّمُ (yuʕajjimu)
- to point the text, to write distinguishing marks to it
Conjugation
verbal noun الْمَصْدَر |
تَعْجِيم taʕjīm | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل |
muʕajjim | |||||||||||
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول |
muʕajjam | |||||||||||
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 | عَجَّمْتُ ʕajjamtu |
عَجَّمْتَ ʕajjamta |
ʕajjama |
عَجَّمْتُمَا ʕajjamtumā |
عَجَّمَا ʕajjamā |
عَجَّمْنَا ʕajjamnā |
عَجَّمْتُمْ ʕajjamtum |
عَجَّمُوا ʕajjamū | |||
f | عَجَّمْتِ ʕajjamti |
عَجَّمَتْ ʕajjamat |
عَجَّمَتَا ʕajjamatā |
عَجَّمْتُنَّ ʕajjamtunna |
عَجَّمْنَ ʕajjamna | |||||||
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع |
m | ʔuʕajjimu |
tuʕajjimu |
yuʕajjimu |
تُعَجِّمَانِ tuʕajjimāni |
يُعَجِّمَانِ yuʕajjimāni |
nuʕajjimu |
tuʕajjimūna |
yuʕajjimūna | |||
f | tuʕajjimīna |
tuʕajjimu |
تُعَجِّمَانِ tuʕajjimāni |
tuʕajjimna |
yuʕajjimna | |||||||
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب |
m | ʔuʕajjima |
tuʕajjima |
yuʕajjima |
تُعَجِّمَا tuʕajjimā |
يُعَجِّمَا yuʕajjimā |
nuʕajjima |
tuʕajjimū |
yuʕajjimū | |||
f | tuʕajjimī |
tuʕajjima |
تُعَجِّمَا tuʕajjimā |
tuʕajjimna |
yuʕajjimna | |||||||
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم |
m | ʔuʕajjim |
tuʕajjim |
yuʕajjim |
تُعَجِّمَا tuʕajjimā |
يُعَجِّمَا yuʕajjimā |
nuʕajjim |
tuʕajjimū |
yuʕajjimū | |||
f | tuʕajjimī |
tuʕajjim |
تُعَجِّمَا tuʕajjimā |
tuʕajjimna |
yuʕajjimna | |||||||
imperative الْأَمْر |
m | ʕajjim |
عَجِّمَا ʕajjimā |
عَجِّمُوا ʕajjimū |
||||||||
f | ʕajjimī |
عَجِّمْنَ ʕajjimna | ||||||||||
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 | عُجِّمْتُ ʕujjimtu |
عُجِّمْتَ ʕujjimta |
ʕujjima |
عُجِّمْتُمَا ʕujjimtumā |
عُجِّمَا ʕujjimā |
عُجِّمْنَا ʕujjimnā |
عُجِّمْتُمْ ʕujjimtum |
عُجِّمُوا ʕujjimū | |||
f | عُجِّمْتِ ʕujjimti |
عُجِّمَتْ ʕujjimat |
عُجِّمَتَا ʕujjimatā |
عُجِّمْتُنَّ ʕujjimtunna |
عُجِّمْنَ ʕujjimna | |||||||
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع |
m | ʔuʕajjamu |
tuʕajjamu |
yuʕajjamu |
تُعَجَّمَانِ tuʕajjamāni |
يُعَجَّمَانِ yuʕajjamāni |
nuʕajjamu |
tuʕajjamūna |
yuʕajjamūna | |||
f | tuʕajjamīna |
tuʕajjamu |
تُعَجَّمَانِ tuʕajjamāni |
tuʕajjamna |
yuʕajjamna | |||||||
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب |
m | ʔuʕajjama |
tuʕajjama |
yuʕajjama |
تُعَجَّمَا tuʕajjamā |
يُعَجَّمَا yuʕajjamā |
nuʕajjama |
tuʕajjamū |
yuʕajjamū | |||
f | tuʕajjamī |
tuʕajjama |
تُعَجَّمَا tuʕajjamā |
tuʕajjamna |
yuʕajjamna | |||||||
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم |
m | ʔuʕajjam |
tuʕajjam |
yuʕajjam |
تُعَجَّمَا tuʕajjamā |
يُعَجَّمَا yuʕajjamā |
nuʕajjam |
tuʕajjamū |
yuʕajjamū | |||
f | tuʕajjamī |
tuʕajjam |
تُعَجَّمَا tuʕajjamā |
tuʕajjamna |
yuʕajjamna |
Declension
Noun
عَجَم • (ʕajam) m (collective, singulative عَجَمَة f (ʕajama))
Declension
Collective | basic collective triptote | ||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | عَجَم ʕajam |
الْعَجَم al-ʕajam |
عَجَم ʕajam |
Nominative | عَجَمٌ ʕajamun |
الْعَجَمُ al-ʕajamu |
عَجَمُ ʕajamu |
Accusative | عَجَمًا ʕajaman |
الْعَجَمَ al-ʕajama |
عَجَمَ ʕajama |
Genitive | عَجَمٍ ʕajamin |
الْعَجَمِ al-ʕajami |
عَجَمِ ʕajami |
Singulative | singulative triptote in ـَة (-a) | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | عَجَمَة ʕajama |
الْعَجَمَة al-ʕajama |
عَجَمَة ʕajamat |
Nominative | عَجَمَةٌ ʕajamatun |
الْعَجَمَةُ al-ʕajamatu |
عَجَمَةُ ʕajamatu |
Accusative | عَجَمَةً ʕajamatan |
الْعَجَمَةَ al-ʕajamata |
عَجَمَةَ ʕajamata |
Genitive | عَجَمَةٍ ʕajamatin |
الْعَجَمَةِ al-ʕajamati |
عَجَمَةِ ʕajamati |
Dual | Indefinite | Definite | Construct |
Informal | عَجَمَتَيْن ʕajamatayn |
الْعَجَمَتَيْن al-ʕajamatayn |
عَجَمَتَيْ ʕajamatay |
Nominative | عَجَمَتَانِ ʕajamatāni |
الْعَجَمَتَانِ al-ʕajamatāni |
عَجَمَتَا ʕajamatā |
Accusative | عَجَمَتَيْنِ ʕajamatayni |
الْعَجَمَتَيْنِ al-ʕajamatayni |
عَجَمَتَيْ ʕajamatay |
Genitive | عَجَمَتَيْنِ ʕajamatayni |
الْعَجَمَتَيْنِ al-ʕajamatayni |
عَجَمَتَيْ ʕajamatay |
Paucal (3-10) | sound feminine paucal | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | عَجَمَات ʕajamāt |
الْعَجَمَات al-ʕajamāt |
عَجَمَات ʕajamāt |
Nominative | عَجَمَاتٌ ʕajamātun |
الْعَجَمَاتُ al-ʕajamātu |
عَجَمَاتُ ʕajamātu |
Accusative | عَجَمَاتٍ ʕajamātin |
الْعَجَمَاتِ al-ʕajamāti |
عَجَمَاتِ ʕajamāti |
Genitive | عَجَمَاتٍ ʕajamātin |
الْعَجَمَاتِ al-ʕajamāti |
عَجَمَاتِ ʕajamāti |
References
- Gabrieli, F. (1986) “ʿAdjam”, in Encyclopaedia of Islam, new ed., vol. I, Leiden: E. J. Brill, page 206
Ottoman Turkish
Etymology
Borrowed from Classical Persian عَجَم sg (ʿajam /ʾajam/, “an Ajam, a Persian”), from Arabic اَلْعَجَمُ m (al-ʕajamu, “the Ajams, the Persians”, definite nominative collective), which is related to أَعْجَمٌ m sg (ʔaʕjamun, indefinite nominative adjective).
Persian
Pronunciation
- (Classical Persian) IPA(key): [ʔa.d͡ʒam]
- (Dari, formal) IPA(key): [ʔä.d͡ʒäm]
- (Kabuli) IPA(key): [ʔä.d͡ʒäm]
- (Hazaragi) IPA(key): [ʔä.d͡ʒäm]
- (Iran, formal) IPA(key): [ʔæ.d͡ʒæm]
- (Tajik, formal) IPA(key): [ʔä.d͡ʒäm]
Readings | |
---|---|
Classical reading? | ajam |
Dari reading? | ajam |
Iranian reading? | ajam |
Tajik reading? | ajam |
Proper noun
عجم • ('ajam)
- Iran; Persia
- Synonym: ایران (irân)
- c. 1010, Abū'l-Qāsim Firdawsī, شاهنامه [Shāhnāma]:
- بسی رنج بردم در این سال سی
عجم زنده کردم بدین پارسی- basê ranj burdam dar în sâl sî
ajam zinda kardam bad-în pârsî - Much toil have I borne in these thirty years,
I have revived Persia with this Persian [work].
- basê ranj burdam dar în sâl sî
- c. 1542, Jamālī Dihlawī, مثنوی مهر و ماه [Masnavī-yi mihr u māh]:
- ز بعد مکه سیرم در عجم بود
ولی بی هند خاطر می نیاسود- ze ba'd-i makka sayr-am dar ajam bûd
walî bê hind xâtir mê nay-âsûd - After Mecca, my journey was in Iran
But without India, my heart found no rest.
- ze ba'd-i makka sayr-am dar ajam bûd