*ŝwʕ ~ *ŝyʕ: 'to follow, aid; followers, party'

Root

FieldValue
Reconstruction*ŝwʕ ~ *ŝyʕ
Meaning'to follow, aid; followers, party'
Basisproject

Reflexes

LanguageFormSourcesNote
Arabicmušāyaʿat 'the following another, conforming with him'; šīʿat 'a separate, distinct party, sect'; šāʿat 'a wife' (Lane 1632)Lane 1632
Epigraphic South ArabianSab s2wʿ; s2wʿ; s2ʿt (Biella 513); s2wʿ (SD 135–136); s2ʿt; s2ʿt (SD 136); s2ʿy (Biella 521)Biella 513; SD 135–136; SD 136; Biella 521gloss withheld
Pre-Islamic North ArabianSafaitic śʿ; śʿt; śʿ; śyʿ (D); Dadanitic śʿt; Dhofari śʿ (Al-Jallad 2026, 144)Al-Jallad 2026 144gloss withheld

A form keeps its source's gloss only when the source is public domain or openly licensed.

Notes

Arabic has the root with y (Lane 1632), Sabaic with w; Arabic š and Sabaic s2 point to *ŝ. SD 136 glosses s2ʿt 'community, following' with Arabic šīʿa and s2ʿt 'spouse' with šāʿa. 615 *ŝVwVʕ- 'call (for help)' is another word. Al-Jallad (2026, 144) compares Aramaic syʿ D 'to aid', 'to support or accompany a caravan' (Palmyrene) and syʿh, syʿtʾ (sīʿā, sīʿătā) 'crowd', 'group, band' (CAL, s.v. syʿ v., syʿh n.).

Updated 26 October 2026

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Linear A Lexicon