ضبط

Arabic

Root
ض ب ط (ḍ b ṭ)
7 terms

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ-

Arabic ضبط

Inherited from Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ- (“to seize, take hold of, catch”). Compare Akkadian 𒍝𒁀𒌈 (ṣabātum, “to seize”) and Biblical Hebrew צָבַט (ṣɔbaṭ, “to reach, hold”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /dˤa.ba.tˤa/

Verb

ضَبَطَ • (ḍabaṭa) I (non-past يَضْبِطُ (yaḍbiṭu), verbal noun ضَبْط (ḍabṭ))

to do something accurately
to confiscate
to check up, to check out
to regulate, to adjust, to fix, to set
to guard, to take care of

Conjugation

Conjugation of **ضَبَطَ** (I, sound, a ~ i, full passive, verbal noun **ضَبْط**)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر					ضَبْط ḍabṭ
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل					ضَابِط ḍābiṭ
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول					مَضْبُوط maḍbūṭ
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	ضَبَطْتُ ḍabaṭtu	ضَبَطْتَ ḍabaṭta	ضَبَطَ ḍabaṭa	ضَبَطْتُمَا ḍabaṭtumā	ضَبَطَا ḍabaṭā	ضَبَطْنَا ḍabaṭnā	ضَبَطْتُمْ ḍabaṭtum	ضَبَطُوا ḍabaṭū
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	f	ضَبَطْتُ ḍabaṭtu	ضَبَطْتِ ḍabaṭti	ضَبَطَتْ ḍabaṭat	ضَبَطْتُمَا ḍabaṭtumā	ضَبَطَتَا ḍabaṭatā	ضَبَطْنَا ḍabaṭnā	ضَبَطْتُنَّ ḍabaṭtunna	ضَبَطْنَ ḍabaṭna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَضْبِطُ ʔaḍbiṭu	تَضْبِطُ taḍbiṭu	يَضْبِطُ yaḍbiṭu	تَضْبِطَانِ taḍbiṭāni	يَضْبِطَانِ yaḍbiṭāni	نَضْبِطُ naḍbiṭu	تَضْبِطُونَ taḍbiṭūna	يَضْبِطُونَ yaḍbiṭūna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	f	أَضْبِطُ ʔaḍbiṭu	تَضْبِطِينَ taḍbiṭīna	تَضْبِطُ taḍbiṭu	تَضْبِطَانِ taḍbiṭāni	تَضْبِطَانِ taḍbiṭāni	نَضْبِطُ naḍbiṭu	تَضْبِطْنَ taḍbiṭna	يَضْبِطْنَ yaḍbiṭna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَضْبِطَ ʔaḍbiṭa	تَضْبِطَ taḍbiṭa	يَضْبِطَ yaḍbiṭa	تَضْبِطَا taḍbiṭā	يَضْبِطَا yaḍbiṭā	نَضْبِطَ naḍbiṭa	تَضْبِطُوا taḍbiṭū	يَضْبِطُوا yaḍbiṭū
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	f	أَضْبِطَ ʔaḍbiṭa	تَضْبِطِي taḍbiṭī	تَضْبِطَ taḍbiṭa	تَضْبِطَا taḍbiṭā	تَضْبِطَا taḍbiṭā	نَضْبِطَ naḍbiṭa	تَضْبِطْنَ taḍbiṭna	يَضْبِطْنَ yaḍbiṭna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَضْبِطْ ʔaḍbiṭ	تَضْبِطْ taḍbiṭ	يَضْبِطْ yaḍbiṭ	تَضْبِطَا taḍbiṭā	يَضْبِطَا yaḍbiṭā	نَضْبِطْ naḍbiṭ	تَضْبِطُوا taḍbiṭū	يَضْبِطُوا yaḍbiṭū
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	f	أَضْبِطْ ʔaḍbiṭ	تَضْبِطِي taḍbiṭī	تَضْبِطْ taḍbiṭ	تَضْبِطَا taḍbiṭā	تَضْبِطَا taḍbiṭā	نَضْبِطْ naḍbiṭ	تَضْبِطْنَ taḍbiṭna	يَضْبِطْنَ yaḍbiṭna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِضْبِطْ iḍbiṭ		اِضْبِطَا iḍbiṭā			اِضْبِطُوا iḍbiṭū
imperative الْأَمْر	f		اِضْبِطِي iḍbiṭī		اِضْبِطَا iḍbiṭā			اِضْبِطْنَ iḍbiṭna

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	ضُبِطْتُ ḍubiṭtu	ضُبِطْتَ ḍubiṭta	ضُبِطَ ḍubiṭa	ضُبِطْتُمَا ḍubiṭtumā	ضُبِطَا ḍubiṭā	ضُبِطْنَا ḍubiṭnā	ضُبِطْتُمْ ḍubiṭtum	ضُبِطُوا ḍubiṭū
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	f	ضُبِطْتُ ḍubiṭtu	ضُبِطْتِ ḍubiṭti	ضُبِطَتْ ḍubiṭat	ضُبِطْتُمَا ḍubiṭtumā	ضُبِطَتَا ḍubiṭatā	ضُبِطْنَا ḍubiṭnā	ضُبِطْتُنَّ ḍubiṭtunna	ضُبِطْنَ ḍubiṭna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُضْبَطُ ʔuḍbaṭu	تُضْبَطُ tuḍbaṭu	يُضْبَطُ yuḍbaṭu	تُضْبَطَانِ tuḍbaṭāni	يُضْبَطَانِ yuḍbaṭāni	نُضْبَطُ nuḍbaṭu	تُضْبَطُونَ tuḍbaṭūna	يُضْبَطُونَ yuḍbaṭūna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	f	أُضْبَطُ ʔuḍbaṭu	تُضْبَطِينَ tuḍbaṭīna	تُضْبَطُ tuḍbaṭu	تُضْبَطَانِ tuḍbaṭāni	تُضْبَطَانِ tuḍbaṭāni	نُضْبَطُ nuḍbaṭu	تُضْبَطْنَ tuḍbaṭna	يُضْبَطْنَ yuḍbaṭna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُضْبَطَ ʔuḍbaṭa	تُضْبَطَ tuḍbaṭa	يُضْبَطَ yuḍbaṭa	تُضْبَطَا tuḍbaṭā	يُضْبَطَا yuḍbaṭā	نُضْبَطَ nuḍbaṭa	تُضْبَطُوا tuḍbaṭū	يُضْبَطُوا yuḍbaṭū
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	f	أُضْبَطَ ʔuḍbaṭa	تُضْبَطِي tuḍbaṭī	تُضْبَطَ tuḍbaṭa	تُضْبَطَا tuḍbaṭā	تُضْبَطَا tuḍbaṭā	نُضْبَطَ nuḍbaṭa	تُضْبَطْنَ tuḍbaṭna	يُضْبَطْنَ yuḍbaṭna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُضْبَطْ ʔuḍbaṭ	تُضْبَطْ tuḍbaṭ	يُضْبَطْ yuḍbaṭ	تُضْبَطَا tuḍbaṭā	يُضْبَطَا yuḍbaṭā	نُضْبَطْ nuḍbaṭ	تُضْبَطُوا tuḍbaṭū	يُضْبَطُوا yuḍbaṭū
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	f	أُضْبَطْ ʔuḍbaṭ	تُضْبَطِي tuḍbaṭī	تُضْبَطْ tuḍbaṭ	تُضْبَطَا tuḍbaṭā	تُضْبَطَا tuḍbaṭā	نُضْبَطْ nuḍbaṭ	تُضْبَطْنَ tuḍbaṭna	يُضْبَطْنَ yuḍbaṭna

Descendants

Egyptian Arabic: ظبط (ẓabaṭ)

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ-

Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa)

Arabic ضبط

Noun

ضَبْط • (ḍabṭ) m

verbal noun of ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa) (form I)
verification
apprehension
correction, rectification
correctness, accuracy, exactness

Declension

Declension of noun **ضَبْط** (ḍabṭ)
singular	basic singular triptote
singular	indefinite	definite	construct
informal	ضَبْط ḍabṭ	الضَّبْط aḍ-ḍabṭ	ضَبْط ḍabṭ
nominative	ضَبْطٌ ḍabṭun	الضَّبْطُ aḍ-ḍabṭu	ضَبْطُ ḍabṭu
accusative	ضَبْطًا ḍabṭan	الضَّبْطَ aḍ-ḍabṭa	ضَبْطَ ḍabṭa
genitive	ضَبْطٍ ḍabṭin	الضَّبْطِ aḍ-ḍabṭi	ضَبْطِ ḍabṭi

Derived terms

بِٱلضَّبْطِ (bi-ḍ-ḍabṭi)

Descendants

→ Azerbaijani: zəbt
→ Middle Armenian: զաւթ (zawtʻ), զաֆտ (zaft)
- Armenian: զավթ (zavtʻ), զաֆթ (zaftʻ), զափտ (zapʻt)
→ Ottoman Turkish: ضبط
- → Romanian: zapt
- → Serbo-Croatian:
  Cyrillic script: запт
  Latin script: zapt
- Turkish: zapt
→ Persian: ضبط
- → Middle Bengali: জব্ত (jobto)
  - Bengali: জব্দ (jobdo)
- → Gujarati: જપ્ત (japt)
- → Hindustani:
  Hindi: ज़ब्त (zabt)
  Urdu: ضبط (zabt)
- → Marathi: जप्त (j̈apta)
- → Punjabi:
  Gurmukhi script: ਜ਼ਬਤ (zabat)
  Shahmukhi script: ضَبط (ẓabt̤)
- → Tamil: ஜப்தி (japti), சப்தி (capti)
→ Uzbek: zabt
→ Swahili: -dhibiti

References

“ضبط” in Almaany
Баранов, Х. К. (2011), “ضبط”, in Большой арабско-русский словарь (Bolʹšoj arabsko-russkij slovarʹ), 11th edition, Москва: Живой язык, →ISBN
Lane, Edward William (1863-1893), “ضبط”, in Arabic-English Lexicon, London: Williams & Norgate.
Wehr, Hans (1979), “ضبط”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN

Gulf Arabic

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ-

Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa)

Gulf Arabic ضبط

Inherited from Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa), from Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ- (“to seize, take hold of, catch”).

Pronunciation

(Kuwait) IPA^(key): /ˈðˤəbːətˤ/

Verb

ضَبَّط • (ḏ̣abbaṭ) (imperfect يضَبِّط (yḏ̣abbiṭ))

to hook someone up (provide with needs, give special treatment, etc)
to hook up with someone (get acquainted with someone in order to form a romantic relationship)
to bring to order, to fix, to hook up

Hijazi Arabic

Root
ض ب ط
1 term

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Arabic ضَبَّطَ (ḍabbaṭa)

Hijazi Arabic ضبط

Inherited from Arabic ضَبَّطَ (ḍabbaṭa).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /zˤab.batˤ/, /dˤab.batˤ/

Verb

ضبط • (ẓabbaṭ) II (non-past يِضَبِّط (yiẓabbiṭ))

to do something accurately
to regulate, to adjust, to fix, to set
Alternative form: (non-standard spelling) زَبَّط (ẓabbaṭ)

Conjugation

Conjugation of **ضبط**
		singular			plural
		1^st person	2^nd person	3^rd person	1^st person	2^nd person	3^rd person
past	m	ضبطت (ẓabbaṭt)	ضبطت (ẓabbaṭt)	ضبط (ẓabbaṭ)	ضبطنا (ẓabbaṭna)	ضبطتوا (ẓabbaṭtu)	ضبطوا (ẓabbaṭu)
past	f	ضبطت (ẓabbaṭt)	ضبطتي (ẓabbaṭti)	ضبطت (ẓabbaṭat)	ضبطنا (ẓabbaṭna)	ضبطتوا (ẓabbaṭtu)	ضبطوا (ẓabbaṭu)
non-past	m	أضبط (ʔaẓabbiṭ)	تضبط (tiẓabbiṭ)	يضبط (yiẓabbiṭ)	نضبط (niẓabbiṭ)	تضبطوا (tiẓabbiṭu)	يضبطوا (yiẓabbiṭu)
non-past	f	أضبط (ʔaẓabbiṭ)	تضبطي (tiẓabbiṭi)	تضبط (tiẓabbiṭ)	نضبط (niẓabbiṭ)	تضبطوا (tiẓabbiṭu)	يضبطوا (yiẓabbiṭu)
imperative	m		ضبط (ẓabbiṭ)			ضبطوا (ẓabbiṭu)
imperative	f		ضبطي (ẓabbiṭi)			ضبطوا (ẓabbiṭu)

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ-

Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa)

Hijazi Arabic ضبط

Inherited from Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa), from Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ- (“to seize, take hold of, catch”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /zˤa.batˤ/, /dˤa.batˤ/

Verb

ضبط • (ẓabaṭ) I (non-past يِضَبُط (yiẓbuṭ))

to be fixed
to be corrected
Alternative form: (non-standard spelling) زَبَط (ẓabaṭ)

Conjugation

Conjugation of **ضبط**
		singular			plural
		1^st person	2^nd person	3^rd person	1^st person	2^nd person	3^rd person
past	m	ضبطت (ẓabaṭt)	ضبطت (ẓabaṭt)	ضبط (ẓabaṭ)	ضبطنا (ẓabaṭna)	ضبطتوا (ẓabaṭtu)	ضبطوا (ẓabaṭu)
past	f	ضبطت (ẓabaṭt)	ضبطتي (ẓabaṭti)	ضبطت (ẓabaṭat)	ضبطنا (ẓabaṭna)	ضبطتوا (ẓabaṭtu)	ضبطوا (ẓabaṭu)
non-past	m	أضبط (ʔaẓbuṭ)	تضبط (tiẓbuṭ)	يضبط (yiẓbuṭ)	نضبط (niẓbuṭ)	تضبطوا (tiẓbuṭu)	يضبطوا (yiẓbuṭu)
non-past	f	أضبط (ʔaẓbuṭ)	تضبطي (tiẓbuṭi)	تضبط (tiẓbuṭ)	نضبط (niẓbuṭ)	تضبطوا (tiẓbuṭu)	يضبطوا (yiẓbuṭu)
imperative	m		اضبط (aẓbuṭ)			اضبطوا (aẓbuṭu)
imperative	f		اضبطي (aẓbuṭi)			اضبطوا (aẓbuṭu)

Notes

The roots ⟨ض ب ط⟩ and ⟨ض ر ط⟩ are the only roots where ض is pronounced /zˤ/ instead of the standard /dˤ/.

Ottoman Turkish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ-

Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa)

Arabic ضَبْط (ḍabṭ)bor.

Ottoman Turkish ضبط

Borrowed from Arabic ضَبْط (ḍabṭ).

Noun

ضبط • (zabt)

seizure
- 2016, DICE, Battlefield 1 (Historical Fiction), Stockholm: Electronic Arts, PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4, scene: Ottoman Squad Leader Gameplay:
  بو هدفی ضبط ا‌یدمه‌یجكلر، مدافعه ایدڭ
  bu hedefi zabt edemeyecekler, müdafaa edin!
  They won't manage to capture this objective, defend it!

Descendants

→ Romanian: zapt
→ Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic script: запт

Latin script: zapt
Turkish: zapt

Persian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ-

Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa)

Arabic ضَبْط (ḍabṭ)bor.

Persian

Borrowed from Arabic ضَبْط (ḍabṭ).

Pronunciation

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

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

(Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [zæbt̪ʰ]

(Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [zäbt̪]

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

Noun

ضبط • (zabt) (plural ضبط‌ها (zabt-hā / zabt-hâ), Tajik spelling забт)

Derived terms

ضبط صوت (zabt-i sawt / zabt-e sowt, “tape recorder”)
ضبط کردن (zabt kardan, “to record; to confiscate”)

Descendants

→ Middle Bengali: জব্ত (jobto)
- Bengali: জব্দ (jobdo)
→ Gujarati: જપ્ત (japt)
→ Hindustani:
Hindi: ज़ब्त (zabt)

Urdu: ضبط (zabt)
→ Marathi: जप्त (j̈apta)
→ Punjabi:
Gurmukhi script: ਜ਼ਬਤ (zabat)

Shahmukhi script: ضَبط (ẓabt̤)
→ Tamil: ஜப்தி (japti), சப்தி (capti)

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Verb

ضبط • (ẓabaṭ) I (present بضبط (boẓboṭ))

alternative spelling of زبط (ẓabaṭ)

Etymology 2

Noun

ضبط • (ẓabṭ) m

alternative spelling of زبط (ẓabṭ)

Urdu

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Semitic *ṣbṭ-

Arabic ضَبَطَ (ḍabaṭa)

Arabic ضَبْط (ḍabṭ)bor.

Classical Persian (zabt)bor.

Urdu ضبط

Borrowed from Classical Persian (zabt), borrowed from Arabic ضَبْط (ḍabṭ).

Pronunciation

(Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /zəbt̪/

Adjective

ضَبْط • (zabt) (Hindi spelling ज़ब्त)

seized, confiscated

Noun

ضَبْط • (zabt) m (Hindi spelling ज़ब्त)

References

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