أَقْرَع
ʔaqraʕmasculine
The English word "bald" can be translated into Arabic as أَقْرَع (ʔaqraʕ), أَصْلَع or أَجْرَد.
Meaning: having little or no hair (adj)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أَقْرَع | ʔaqraʕ | masculine |
| أَصْلَع | ʔaṣlaʕ | |
| أَجْرَد | ʔajrad |
These terms are adjectives used to describe someone having little or no hair. In informal Levantine dialects, speakers may also use the playful phrase عريان فوق, which literally means "naked on top".
Which one should you use?
While أَقْرَع is a standard form, أَصْلَع is a common alternative used to describe a bald person. The form أَجْرَد also serves as a way to express the concept of being bald.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Levantine dialects, the expression عريان فوق is used to refer to someone who is bald.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form أَقْرَع changes to the feminine form قَرْعَاء when describing a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔaqraʕ
Did you know?
- The term أَجْرَد is not only used for a lack of hair but can also describe a person who is stripped of their possessions or clothing, showing a connection between physical nakedness and lack of belongings.
- The term أَقْرَع is used in classical Arabic to describe not only a bald head but also a bird with a bare patch of skin on its head.
- While English uses 'bald' to describe a scalp, the Arabic word أَقْرَع can sometimes be used metaphorically to describe a land that is barren or lacks vegetation.
Examples in context
- هو رَجُلٌ أَقْرَع.huwa rajulun aqra'.He is a bald man.
- أَخي أَصْبَحَ أَقْرَعَ الآنَ.akhi asbaha aqra'a al-an.My brother has become bald now.
- هذا الرَّجُلُ أَقْرَعُ جِدًّا.hadha al-rajulu aqra'u jiddan.This man is very bald.
Example conversation
Omar and Maryam are looking at an old photo of their uncle.
- عمر Omarانْظُرِي، هَلْ عَمِّي أَقْرَعُ فِي هَذِهِ الصُّورَةِ؟unzhuri, hal 'ammi aqra'u fi hadhihi al-surati?Look, is my uncle bald in this photo?
- مريم Maryamنَعَمْ، لَقَدْ كَانَ أَقْرَعَ مُنْذُ الطُّفُولَةِ.na'am, laqad kana aqra'a mundhu al-tufulati.Yes, he has been bald since childhood.
- عمر Omarلَمْ أَكُنْ أَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ.lam akun a'rifu dhalika.I did not know that.
- مريم Maryamإِنَّهُ يَبْدُو جَيِّدًا بِهَذَا الشَّكْلِ.innahu yabdu jayyidan bi-hadha al-shakli.He looks good that way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bald” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
