وِسَادَة
wisādafeminine
The Arabic word for pillow is وِسَادَة (wisāda) or مِخَدَّة.
Meaning: soft cushion used to support the head in bed (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| وِسَادَة | wisāda | feminine |
| مِخَدَّة | miḵadda | feminine |
In Arabic, both words refer to a soft cushion used to support the head in bed.
Which one should you use?
وِسَادَة is a formal term often found in literature and Modern Standard Arabic, while مِخَدَّة is the more colloquial version.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the formal وِسَادَة is وِسَادَات, and the plural of the colloquial مِخَدَّة is مِخَدَّات. Both forms are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
wisāda
Did you know?
- In some classical Arabic literature, the word مخدة does not refer to the cushion itself but to the side of a person's head that touches the pillow.
- In Levantine dialects, the word مْسَنْدَة is often used for pillow, which is derived from the verb meaning 'to lean'.
- The formal word وِسَادَة is rooted in the concept of a 'basis' or 'foundation', framing the pillow as the structural support for the head.
Examples in context
- قُمْ بِوَضْعِ المَخِدَّةِ تَحْتَ رَأْسِكَ قَبْلَ النَّوْمِPlace the pillow under your head before sleeping
- هذِهِ وِسَادَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ.hadhihi wisadatun jadidatun.This is a new pillow.
- أُرِيدُ وِسَادَةً نَاعِمَةً لِلنَّوْمِ.uridu wisadatan na'imatan lil-nawm.I want a soft pillow for sleeping.
Example conversation
Nour and Omar are preparing the guest room.
- نور Nourهَلْ عِنْدَكَ وِسَادَةٌ إِضَافِيَّةٌ؟hal 'indaka wisadatun idafiyya?Do you have an extra pillow?
- عمر Omarنَعَمْ، هِيَ فِي الخِزَانَةِ.na'am, hiya fil-khizana.Yes, it is in the closet.
- نور Nourهَلْ هَذِهِ الوِسَادَةُ نَاعِمَةٌ؟hal hadhihi al-wisadatu na'ima?Is this pillow soft?
- عمر Omarنَعَمْ، إِنَّهَا مُرِيحَةٌ جِدًّا.na'am, innaha murihatun jiddan.Yes, it is very comfortable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pillow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
