عدان

Arabic

Etymology

Borrowed from the frequent Aramaic 𐡏𐡃𐡍𐡀 (ʿdnʾ) / עִידָּנָא (ʿiddānā) / ܥܷܕ݁ܳܢܳܐ (ʿeddānā), from Akkadian 𒌓𒅗𒂵 (adānum). In Hatran Aramaic also known as “halting place”, “station”, even used for a caravanserai. The meanings “to stay, to bide” of the Arabic root ع د ن (ʕ-d-n) appear to be denominal from the spatial meaning of this lexeme. Old Armenian ատեան (atean) is likely from Semitic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕid.daːn/, /ʕad.daːn/, /ʕa.daːn/

Noun

عِدّان or عَدَّان or عَدَان • (ʕiddān or ʕaddān or ʕadān) m (only used with certain bedouin tribes)

1. a time, particular time something is set
   • a. 730, Al-Farazdaq, is quoted, by Abū Hilāl al-ʾaskarīy Jamharat al-ʾamṯāl 1/211 and At-Ṭabarī Tārīḵ ed. de Goeje series 2 page 160 line 3–8 with the word at line 6:

     أمسكين أبكى الله عَيْنك إِنَّمَا ... جرى فِي ضلال دمعها فتحدرا
     بَكَيْت امْرأ من أهل ميسَان كَافِرًا ... ككسرى على عدانه أَو كقيصرا
     أَقُول لَهُ لما أَتَانِي نعيه ... بِهِ لَا بِظَبْيٍ بالصرائم أعفرا

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. a place of remaining, spot to bide
3. bank, shore, where a river or sea meets land, the water end of a journey
   • a. 600, Yazīd Ibn As-Saʾiq, quoted by Lisān al-ʿArab:

     جَلَبْنَ الخيلَ من تَثْلِيثَ، حتى وَرَدْنَ على أُوَارةَ فالعَدَانِ

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • a. 661, Labīd ibn Rabīʿa, إن تقوى ربنا خير نفل‎^[1]:

     ولقد يعلم صحبي كلهم بعدان السيف صبري ونقل

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Declension of noun عِدّان (ʕiddān)‎; عَدَّان (ʕaddān)‎; عَدَان (ʕadān)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عِدّان‎; عَدَّان‎; عَدَان ʕiddān‎; ʕaddān‎; ʕadān	الْعِدّان‎; الْعَدَّان‎; الْعَدَان al-ʕiddān‎; al-ʕaddān‎; al-ʕadān	عِدّان‎; عَدَّان‎; عَدَان ʕiddān‎; ʕaddān‎; ʕadān
Nominative	عِدّانٌ‎; عَدَّانٌ‎; عَدَانٌ ʕiddānun‎; ʕaddānun‎; ʕadānun	الْعِدّانُ‎; الْعَدَّانُ‎; الْعَدَانُ al-ʕiddānu‎; al-ʕaddānu‎; al-ʕadānu	عِدّانُ‎; عَدَّانُ‎; عَدَانُ ʕiddānu‎; ʕaddānu‎; ʕadānu
Accusative	عِدّانًا‎; عَدَّانًا‎; عَدَانًا ʕiddānan‎; ʕaddānan‎; ʕadānan	الْعِدّانَ‎; الْعَدَّانَ‎; الْعَدَانَ al-ʕiddāna‎; al-ʕaddāna‎; al-ʕadāna	عِدّانَ‎; عَدَّانَ‎; عَدَانَ ʕiddāna‎; ʕaddāna‎; ʕadāna
Genitive	عِدّانٍ‎; عَدَّانٍ‎; عَدَانٍ ʕiddānin‎; ʕaddānin‎; ʕadānin	الْعِدّانِ‎; الْعَدَّانِ‎; الْعَدَانِ al-ʕiddāni‎; al-ʕaddāni‎; al-ʕadāni	عِدّانِ‎; عَدَّانِ‎; عَدَانِ ʕiddāni‎; ʕaddāni‎; ʕadāni

References

• “ˁdn”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Hoftijzer, J, Jongeling, K. (1995) Dictionary of the North-West Semitic Inscriptions (Handbuch der Orientalistik. Erste Abteilung, Der Nahe und Mittlere Osten; 21), Leiden, New York, Köln: E.J. Brill, page 830
• Nöldeke, Theodor (1910) Neue Beiträge zur semitischen Sprachwissenschaft‎^[2] (in German), Straßburg: Karl J. Trübner, page 44, refers to other attestations
• see ع د ن (ʕ-d-n) for general dictionaries containing this word, and some list the geminated vocalization under ع د د (ʕ-d-d), most not realizing the identity of the lexes of a “set time” and “place of bode”.