Glossary of Arabic toponyms

The glossary of Arabic toponyms gives translations of Arabic terms commonly found as components in Arabic toponyms. A significant number of them were put together during the PEF Survey of Palestine carried out in the second half of the 19th century.

A
'Ain, pl.: `Ayūn, ʿUyūn: Spring, fountain, source. Examples: El Aaiún Ab, Abu: Father; as a geographical term it signifies "producing", "containing", etc.; Arak, pl.: Arkan: Cavern or cliff (among various meanings); see

B
Bab, pl.: Buwab: Gate. Examples Bab el-Mandeb; see Bahr: بحر - Sea, large river. see Beit: House. see Balad: بلد (sometimes transliterated as Beled or Belled) - Town; see Bir: بير, Well; see Birkeh: Artificial pool, tank; see Buhayra, Baheirah: بحيرة, Lake, lagoon; Diminutive of بَحْر (baḥr, “sea”). Burj: برج, Tower, castle; see

D
Deir: دير monastery, convent, cloister (often ruins thereof); see Derb: درب road, pass; see Dhahr: ridge; see

H
Haram: Sacred place; see Haud: Reservoir, pond; see

I
Ibn: Son; as a geographical term it signifies "producing", "containing", etc.; see

J
Jama'a, Djama'a, Jami'a: place of gathering, community, mosque; Jazira, Jezireh, Jeziret: Island; Jebel, Djebel, Jebal, Jabal: mountain; Jisr: bridge; Jubb: (Arabic: جُبّ ): well, pit;

K
Khirbet, Khurbet, Khirbat, etc.: is the conjunctive form "ruin of" (خربة) of the Arabic word for "ruin" (خرب, khirba, kharab ("ruined"))

Kul'ah, Kal'at, Kalat, Kala, Kaleh: Arabic, Persian. See "Qalat"

M
Mazar: مزار: shrine, grave, tomb, etc. cf. "Mazar (mausoleum)". The placename usually refers to a grave of a saint, ruler, etc.. Examples: Mazar-i-Sharif Mazra', Mazra'a, Al-Mazra'a, Mazraa: مزرعة, mazraʿa: farm, مزرع, mazraʿ: field, farmland, origin for majra, hamlet in Indian subcontinent

N
Nahr: نهر, river, e.g., Nahr-e Mian; see

O
Oued: In North African Arabic, same as Wadi

Q
Qabr, Kabr, pl.:Qubūr: قَبْر, pl. قُبُور - tomb, grave Qasr, Kasr, al-Qasr, pl.:Qusūr: قصر, from Latin castrum Qal'at, Qalat, Qala, Qalaat, Qal'a: Arabic, Persian. Fortified place, fort, fortress, castle; see
 * It entered into Spanish and Portuguese placenames in the forms Alcazar, Alcácer
 * North African (Maghrebi Arabic) form: Ksar
 * It entered into Spanish and Portuguese placenames in the forms Alcazar, Alcácer
 * North African (Maghrebi Arabic) form: Ksar
 * North African (Maghrebi Arabic) form: Ksar

R
Ras: رأس, head, cape, top, peak, etc., Rujm, plural: rujum: رجم, mound, cairn, hill, spur, and also as "stone heap" or "tumulus".

U
Umm: Mother; as a geographical term it signifies "producing", "containing", etc.; cf. "Mother of all";

W
Wadi, Wad, North African Arabic: Oued: Watercourse: stream (often intermittent stream), sometimes dry waterbed, valley