صنف

Arabic

Etymology 1

In the root ص ن ف (ṣ n f) one also finds صِنْفَة (ṣinfa, “border of a garment”), which fits Ge'ez ጽንፍ (ṣənf, “extremity, edge, border, fringe etc.”), suspiciously enough with alternative vocalization as in Arabic ጸንፍ (ṣänf). Due to the restricted semantic range and the varying vocalization one wonders about a borrowing from Aramaic. Christian Palestinian Aramaic has ܨܢܦܬܐ (“border, fringe (of a garment)”) and Jewish Palestinian Aramaic צנפה (ṣanpā, “border, fringe (of a garment)”) and צנף (“to wrap or gird oneself”), but Jewish Babylonian Aramaic סנפא, סינפא (sinpā, “side-room”) seems also similar, via the idea of an anyhow abstract pigeonhole or خَانَة (ḵāna) things are fitted into, not emphatic but no doubt related because in the same isolect there is the geminate verb סנפ (“to gird”), which is also found in Classical Syriac, while the Syriac base stem ܣܢܱܦ (snap̄) means “to introduce, to insert”; apparently a Western Aramaic—Eastern Aramaic anlaut variation. For the meaning development in to a “sort” also contrast نَمَط (namaṭ, “drugget, horse-rug; pattern, manner”). In modern Hebrew, סְנִיף (snif) is used as “branch, affiliate”.

The ultimate origin is suggested by the Dictionnaire du faisceau dialectal arabe andalou as ultimately Akkadian [script needed] (ṣiliptu, “diagonal”), related to Akkadian [script needed] (ṣalāpu, “to distort”), well also found in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic צלפ / Classical Syriac ܨܠܦ (ṣlap̄, “to split, to wound”), the geminate stem in Syriac and Jewish Literary Aramaic “to perforate” and “to wound”, the Syriac causative stem “to open up as to show”, with an unemphatic variant Jewish Babylonian Aramaic סלף (“to wound”), Jewish Literary Aramaic סלף (“to wound”).

Verb

صَنَّفَ • (ṣannafa) II (non-past يُصَنِّفُ (yuṣannifu), verbal noun تَصْنِيف (taṣnīf))

to sort, classify, or categorize something
to compile or compose

Conjugation

Conjugation of **صَنَّفَ** (II, sound, full passive, verbal noun *تَصْنِيف*)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر					تَصْنِيف taṣnīf
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل					مُصَنِّف muṣannif
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول					مُصَنَّف muṣannaf
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد			dual الْمُثَنَّى		plural الْجَمْع
		1^st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2^nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3^rd person الْغَائِب	2^nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3^rd person الْغَائِب	1^st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2^nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3^rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	صَنَّفْتُ ṣannaftu	صَنَّفْتَ ṣannafta	صَنَّفَ ṣannafa	صَنَّفْتُمَا ṣannaftumā	صَنَّفَا ṣannafā	صَنَّفْنَا ṣannafnā	صَنَّفْتُمْ ṣannaftum	صَنَّفُوا ṣannafū
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	f	صَنَّفْتُ ṣannaftu	صَنَّفْتِ ṣannafti	صَنَّفَتْ ṣannafat	صَنَّفْتُمَا ṣannaftumā	صَنَّفَتَا ṣannafatā	صَنَّفْنَا ṣannafnā	صَنَّفْتُنَّ ṣannaftunna	صَنَّفْنَ ṣannafna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُصَنِّفُ ʔuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفُ tuṣannifu	يُصَنِّفُ yuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفَانِ tuṣannifāni	يُصَنِّفَانِ yuṣannifāni	نُصَنِّفُ nuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفُونَ tuṣannifūna	يُصَنِّفُونَ yuṣannifūna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	f	أُصَنِّفُ ʔuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفِينَ tuṣannifīna	تُصَنِّفُ tuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفَانِ tuṣannifāni	تُصَنِّفَانِ tuṣannifāni	نُصَنِّفُ nuṣannifu	تُصَنِّفْنَ tuṣannifna	يُصَنِّفْنَ yuṣannifna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُصَنِّفَ ʔuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفَ tuṣannifa	يُصَنِّفَ yuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفَا tuṣannifā	يُصَنِّفَا yuṣannifā	نُصَنِّفَ nuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفُوا tuṣannifū	يُصَنِّفُوا yuṣannifū
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	f	أُصَنِّفَ ʔuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفِي tuṣannifī	تُصَنِّفَ tuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفَا tuṣannifā	تُصَنِّفَا tuṣannifā	نُصَنِّفَ nuṣannifa	تُصَنِّفْنَ tuṣannifna	يُصَنِّفْنَ yuṣannifna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُصَنِّفْ ʔuṣannif	تُصَنِّفْ tuṣannif	يُصَنِّفْ yuṣannif	تُصَنِّفَا tuṣannifā	يُصَنِّفَا yuṣannifā	نُصَنِّفْ nuṣannif	تُصَنِّفُوا tuṣannifū	يُصَنِّفُوا yuṣannifū
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	f	أُصَنِّفْ ʔuṣannif	تُصَنِّفِي tuṣannifī	تُصَنِّفْ tuṣannif	تُصَنِّفَا tuṣannifā	تُصَنِّفَا tuṣannifā	نُصَنِّفْ nuṣannif	تُصَنِّفْنَ tuṣannifna	يُصَنِّفْنَ yuṣannifna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		صَنِّفْ ṣannif		صَنِّفَا ṣannifā			صَنِّفُوا ṣannifū
imperative الْأَمْر	f		صَنِّفِي ṣannifī		صَنِّفَا ṣannifā			صَنِّفْنَ ṣannifna

passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد			dual الْمُثَنَّى		plural الْجَمْع
		1^st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2^nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3^rd person الْغَائِب	2^nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3^rd person الْغَائِب	1^st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2^nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3^rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	صُنِّفْتُ ṣunniftu	صُنِّفْتَ ṣunnifta	صُنِّفَ ṣunnifa	صُنِّفْتُمَا ṣunniftumā	صُنِّفَا ṣunnifā	صُنِّفْنَا ṣunnifnā	صُنِّفْتُمْ ṣunniftum	صُنِّفُوا ṣunnifū
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	f	صُنِّفْتُ ṣunniftu	صُنِّفْتِ ṣunnifti	صُنِّفَتْ ṣunnifat	صُنِّفْتُمَا ṣunniftumā	صُنِّفَتَا ṣunnifatā	صُنِّفْنَا ṣunnifnā	صُنِّفْتُنَّ ṣunniftunna	صُنِّفْنَ ṣunnifna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُصَنَّفُ ʔuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفُ tuṣannafu	يُصَنَّفُ yuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفَانِ tuṣannafāni	يُصَنَّفَانِ yuṣannafāni	نُصَنَّفُ nuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفُونَ tuṣannafūna	يُصَنَّفُونَ yuṣannafūna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	f	أُصَنَّفُ ʔuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفِينَ tuṣannafīna	تُصَنَّفُ tuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفَانِ tuṣannafāni	تُصَنَّفَانِ tuṣannafāni	نُصَنَّفُ nuṣannafu	تُصَنَّفْنَ tuṣannafna	يُصَنَّفْنَ yuṣannafna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُصَنَّفَ ʔuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفَ tuṣannafa	يُصَنَّفَ yuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفَا tuṣannafā	يُصَنَّفَا yuṣannafā	نُصَنَّفَ nuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفُوا tuṣannafū	يُصَنَّفُوا yuṣannafū
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	f	أُصَنَّفَ ʔuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفِي tuṣannafī	تُصَنَّفَ tuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفَا tuṣannafā	تُصَنَّفَا tuṣannafā	نُصَنَّفَ nuṣannafa	تُصَنَّفْنَ tuṣannafna	يُصَنَّفْنَ yuṣannafna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُصَنَّفْ ʔuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفْ tuṣannaf	يُصَنَّفْ yuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفَا tuṣannafā	يُصَنَّفَا yuṣannafā	نُصَنَّفْ nuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفُوا tuṣannafū	يُصَنَّفُوا yuṣannafū
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	f	أُصَنَّفْ ʔuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفِي tuṣannafī	تُصَنَّفْ tuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفَا tuṣannafā	تُصَنَّفَا tuṣannafā	نُصَنَّفْ nuṣannaf	تُصَنَّفْنَ tuṣannafna	يُصَنَّفْنَ yuṣannafna

Noun

صِنْف • (ṣinf) m (plural أَصْنَاف (ʔaṣnāf))
صَنْف • (ṣanf) m (plural صُنُوف (ṣunūf))

kind, sort, specimen
class, genus, species, category
(Classical) fringe, hem, border of a garment

Declension

Declension of noun **صِنْف** (ṣinf)
singular	basic singular triptote
singular	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	صِنْف ṣinf	الصِّنْف aṣ-ṣinf	صِنْف ṣinf
nominative	صِنْفٌ ṣinfun	الصِّنْفُ aṣ-ṣinfu	صِنْفُ ṣinfu
accusative	صِنْفًا ṣinfan	الصِّنْفَ aṣ-ṣinfa	صِنْفَ ṣinfa
genitive	صِنْفٍ ṣinfin	الصِّنْفِ aṣ-ṣinfi	صِنْفِ ṣinfi
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	صِنْفَيْن ṣinfayn	الصِّنْفَيْن aṣ-ṣinfayn	صِنْفَيْ ṣinfay
nominative	صِنْفَانِ ṣinfāni	الصِّنْفَانِ aṣ-ṣinfāni	صِنْفَا ṣinfā
accusative	صِنْفَيْنِ ṣinfayni	الصِّنْفَيْنِ aṣ-ṣinfayni	صِنْفَيْ ṣinfay
genitive	صِنْفَيْنِ ṣinfayni	الصِّنْفَيْنِ aṣ-ṣinfayni	صِنْفَيْ ṣinfay
plural	basic broken plural triptote
plural	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	أَصْنَاف ʔaṣnāf	الْأَصْنَاف al-ʔaṣnāf	أَصْنَاف ʔaṣnāf
nominative	أَصْنَافٌ ʔaṣnāfun	الْأَصْنَافُ al-ʔaṣnāfu	أَصْنَافُ ʔaṣnāfu
accusative	أَصْنَافًا ʔaṣnāfan	الْأَصْنَافَ al-ʔaṣnāfa	أَصْنَافَ ʔaṣnāfa
genitive	أَصْنَافٍ ʔaṣnāfin	الْأَصْنَافِ al-ʔaṣnāfi	أَصْنَافِ ʔaṣnāfi

Declension of noun **صَنْف** (ṣanf)
singular	basic singular triptote
singular	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	صَنْف ṣanf	الصَّنْف aṣ-ṣanf	صَنْف ṣanf
nominative	صَنْفٌ ṣanfun	الصَّنْفُ aṣ-ṣanfu	صَنْفُ ṣanfu
accusative	صَنْفًا ṣanfan	الصَّنْفَ aṣ-ṣanfa	صَنْفَ ṣanfa
genitive	صَنْفٍ ṣanfin	الصَّنْفِ aṣ-ṣanfi	صَنْفِ ṣanfi
dual	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	صَنْفَيْن ṣanfayn	الصَّنْفَيْن aṣ-ṣanfayn	صَنْفَيْ ṣanfay
nominative	صَنْفَانِ ṣanfāni	الصَّنْفَانِ aṣ-ṣanfāni	صَنْفَا ṣanfā
accusative	صَنْفَيْنِ ṣanfayni	الصَّنْفَيْنِ aṣ-ṣanfayni	صَنْفَيْ ṣanfay
genitive	صَنْفَيْنِ ṣanfayni	الصَّنْفَيْنِ aṣ-ṣanfayni	صَنْفَيْ ṣanfay
plural	basic broken plural triptote
plural	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	صُنُوف ṣunūf	الصُّنُوف aṣ-ṣunūf	صُنُوف ṣunūf
nominative	صُنُوفٌ ṣunūfun	الصُّنُوفُ aṣ-ṣunūfu	صُنُوفُ ṣunūfu
accusative	صُنُوفًا ṣunūfan	الصُّنُوفَ aṣ-ṣunūfa	صُنُوفَ ṣunūfa
genitive	صُنُوفٍ ṣunūfin	الصُّنُوفِ aṣ-ṣunūfi	صُنُوفِ ṣunūfi

Descendants

→ Azerbaijani: sinif
→ Bashkir: синыф (sinıf)
→ Kazakh: сынып (synyp)
→ Kyrgyz: сынып (sınıp)
→ Pashto: صنف
→ Ottoman Turkish: صنف (sınf, sınıf)
- Turkish: sınıf
- → Crimean Tatar: sınıf
- → Laz: სინიჶი (sinifi)
→ Persian: صنف
→ Spanish: cenefa
→ Tatar: сыйныф (sıynıf)
→ Tajik: синф (sinf)
→ Turkmen: synp
→ Uzbek: sinf
→ Uyghur: سىنىپ (sinip)
→ Greek: σινάφι (sináfi)
→ Swahili: sanifu

Etymology 2

Probably borrowed from Middle Persian *čamp with Middle Persian č rendered as Arabic ṣ, as found in other borrowings from Persian: صَنْج (ṣanj), صَارُوج (ṣārūj), صَهْرِيج (ṣahrīj), الصِّين (aṣ-ṣīn).

Proper noun

صَنْف • (ṣanf) f (Classical)

Champa (a historical region of Farther India)

Declension

Declension of noun **صَنْف** (ṣanf)
singular	basic singular diptote
singular	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	—	صَنْف ṣanf	—
nominative	—	صَنْفُ ṣanfu	—
accusative	—	صَنْفَ ṣanfa	—
genitive	—	صَنْفَ ṣanfa	—

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic صِنْف (ṣinf, “kind, sort”).

Noun

صنف • (sınf or sınıf) (definite accusative صنفی (sınfı), plural اصناف (esnâf) or صنوف (sunuf))

kind, sort, type, variety, a class of entities that have common characteristics such that they may be grouped together
Synonyms: جنس (cins), چشید (çeşid), صوی (soy), فن (fenn), نوع (nevʼ)
class, category, a group, collection, or set to which items are assigned based on similarity or defined criteria
classroom, schoolroom, a room, often in a school, where classes take place and in which both children and adults learn
Synonym: درسخانه (dershâne)
guild, corporation, any association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft or trade
Synonyms: اصناف (esnâf), لونجه (lonca)

Derived terms

احتیاط صنفی (ihtiyat sınfı, “preparatory class”)
ردیف صنفی (redif sınfı, “reserve class”)
همر صنف (hemr sınf, “of the same class or category”)

Descendants

Turkish: sınıf
→ Crimean Tatar: sınıf
→ Laz: სინიჶი (sinifi)

Persian

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Arabic صِنْف (ṣinf).

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian) IPA^(key): /ˈsinf/

(Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [sɪɱf]
- (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [sɪɱf]
- (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [siɱf]

(Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [seɱf]

(Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [siɱf]

Readings
Classical reading^?	sinf
Dari reading^?	sinf
Iranian reading^?	senf
Tajik reading^?	sinf

Noun

صنف • (senf) (plural اصناف (asnâf))

(Dari) class (group, collection, category or set sharing characteristics or attributes)
guild (a group of tradespeople made up of merchants, craftspeople, or artisans)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Arabic صَنْف (ṣanf).

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian) IPA^(key): /ˈsanf/

(Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [säɱf]
- (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [säɱf]
- (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [säɱf]

(Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [sæɱf]

(Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [säɱf]

Readings
Classical reading^?	sanf
Dari reading^?	sanf
Iranian reading^?	sanf
Tajik reading^?	sanf

Proper noun

صنف • (sanf)

Champa (a historical region of Farther India)

Urdu

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Persian (sinf), from Arabic صِنْف (ṣinf).

Pronunciation

(Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /sɪnf/

Noun

صِنْف • (sinf) m (formal plural اَصْناف (asnāf), Hindi spelling सिंफ़)

a genre
(sociology, gender studies) gender

Related terms

صِنْف کا اِظْہار m (sinf kā izhār)
صِنْفِی (sinfī)
صِنْفی شَناخْت f (sinfī śanāxt)

References

“صنف”, in اُردُو لُغَت (urdū luġat) (in Urdu), Ministry of Education: Government of Pakistan, 2017.
“sinf”, in ریخْتَہ لُغَت (rexta luġat) - Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2026.

صنف

Arabic

Etymology 1

Verb

Conjugation

Noun

Declension

Descendants

Etymology 2

Proper noun

Declension

Further reading

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology

Noun

Derived terms

Descendants

Further reading

Persian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Noun

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Urdu

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Related terms

References