عَقْرَب
ʕaqrabfeminine, masculine
The Arabic word for scorpion is عَقْرَب (ʕaqrab). Wiktionary also lists عَقْرَبَة (ʕaqraba) and عَقْرَبَاء (ʕaqrabāʔ).
Meaning: any of various arachnids of the order Scorpiones (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عَقْرَب | ʕaqrab | feminine, masculine |
| عَقْرَبَة | ʕaqraba | feminine |
| عَقْرَبَاء | ʕaqrabāʔ | feminine |
| عَقْرُبَان | ʕaqrubān | masculine |
| عُقْرُبَّان | ʕuqrubbān | masculine |
The term refers to any arachnid belonging to the order Scorpiones.
Which one should you use?
The language provides several forms for this word. عَقْرَب is the default form. عَقْرَبَة and عَقْرَبَاء are feminine forms, while عَقْرُبَان and عُقْرُبَّان are masculine forms.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Gulf Arabic, the term العقرب is commonly used to describe a scorpion.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms are categorized by gender, with عَقْرَب being both masculine and feminine, while other forms are specifically feminine or masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ʕaqrab.
Did you know?
- In Arabic, the word عقرب is also used to refer to the 'hands' of a clock, describing them as the 'scorpions' of the dial.
- In some poetic Arabic traditions, the 'scorpion' is used as a metaphor for a person with a sharp, stinging tongue or a treacherous character.
- The word عَقْرَب shares a semantic root with the concept of 'biting' or 'stinging' in certain ancient contexts, reflecting the animal's physical nature.
Examples in context
- رأيت العقرب في الصحراء.I saw a scorpion in the desert.
- شفت العقرب على الحيط.I saw a scorpion on the wall.
- هل يوجد عَقْرَب هنا؟Hal yujad 'aqrab huna?Is there a scorpion here?
Example conversation
Ahmed and Layla are hiking in the desert.
- أحمد Ahmedليلى، انظري تحت هذه الصخرة!Layla, unzhuri tahta hadhihi al-sakhra!Layla, look under this rock!
- ليلى Laylaماذا هناك يا أحمد؟Madha hunaka ya Ahmad?What is there, Ahmed?
- أحمد Ahmedهناك عَقْرَب يختبئ هنا.Hunaka aqrab yakhtabi' huna.There is a scorpion hiding here.
- ليلى Laylaابتعد عنه بسرعة!Ibt'id anhu bisur'a!Move away from it quickly!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scorpion” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
