علي

See also: على, علی, غلى, and غلي

Arabic

Etymology 1.1

Root
ع ل ي (ʕ l y)
20 terms

Ultimately from Proto-Semitic *ʕall-, *ʕaly- (“to be high; exalted”), from Proto-Afroasiatic *ʕal-, *ʕVl(ay)- (“to be high, tall; to rise, ascend”).

Cognate with Hebrew עָלָה (ʿalá, “to ascend, rise, grow, develop”), Hebrew עלי (ʿeli, “ascent”) and thereby Eli.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.li.ja/
• Rhymes: -ijj

Verb

عَلِيَ • (ʕaliya) I (non-past يَعْلَى (yaʕlā), verbal noun عَلَاء (ʕalāʔ))

1. (intransitive) to be exalted, high
2. (intransitive) to excel, to stand out

Conjugation

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						عَلَاء ʕalāʔ
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						عَلِيّ ʕaliyy
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	عَلِيتُ ʕalītu	عَلِيتَ ʕalīta	عَلِيَ ʕaliya		عَلِيتُمَا ʕalītumā	عَلِيَا ʕaliyā		عَلِينَا ʕalīnā	عَلِيتُمْ ʕalītum	عَلُوا ʕalū
	f		عَلِيتِ ʕalīti	عَلِيَتْ ʕaliyat			عَلِيَتَا ʕaliyatā			عَلِيتُنَّ ʕalītunna	عَلِينَ ʕalīna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَعْلَى ʔaʕlā	تَعْلَى taʕlā	يَعْلَى yaʕlā		تَعْلَيَانِ taʕlayāni	يَعْلَيَانِ yaʕlayāni		نَعْلَى naʕlā	تَعْلَوْنَ taʕlawna	يَعْلَوْنَ yaʕlawna
	f		تَعْلَيْنَ taʕlayna	تَعْلَى taʕlā			تَعْلَيَانِ taʕlayāni			تَعْلَيْنَ taʕlayna	يَعْلَيْنَ yaʕlayna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَعْلَى ʔaʕlā	تَعْلَى taʕlā	يَعْلَى yaʕlā		تَعْلَيَا taʕlayā	يَعْلَيَا yaʕlayā		نَعْلَى naʕlā	تَعْلَوْا taʕlaw	يَعْلَوْا yaʕlaw
	f		تَعْلَيْ taʕlay	تَعْلَى taʕlā			تَعْلَيَا taʕlayā			تَعْلَيْنَ taʕlayna	يَعْلَيْنَ yaʕlayna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَعْلَ ʔaʕla	تَعْلَ taʕla	يَعْلَ yaʕla		تَعْلَيَا taʕlayā	يَعْلَيَا yaʕlayā		نَعْلَ naʕla	تَعْلَوْا taʕlaw	يَعْلَوْا yaʕlaw
	f		تَعْلَيْ taʕlay	تَعْلَ taʕla			تَعْلَيَا taʕlayā			تَعْلَيْنَ taʕlayna	يَعْلَيْنَ yaʕlayna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِعْلَ iʕla			اِعْلَيَا iʕlayā				اِعْلَوْا iʕlaw
	f		اِعْلَيْ iʕlay							اِعْلَيْنَ iʕlayna

    Conjugation of عَلِيَ (I, final-weak, i ~ a, no passive, verbal noun عَلَاء)

Etymology 1.2

From the root ع ل و (ʕ-l-w) or ع ل ي (ʕ-l-y).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.lijj/

Adjective

عَلِيّ • (ʕaliyy) (feminine عَلِيَّة (ʕaliyya), masculine plural عَلِيُّونَ (ʕaliyyūna) or عِلْيَة (ʕilya), feminine plural عَلِيَّات (ʕaliyyāt), elative أَعْلَىٰ (ʔaʕlā))

1. high, tall^[1]
2. exalted, lofty, excellent

Declension

Singular	Masculine		Feminine
	basic singular triptote		singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	عَلِي ʕalī	الْعَلِي al-ʕalī	عَلِيَّة ʕaliyya	الْعَلِيَّة al-ʕaliyya
Nominative	عَلِيٌّ ʕaliyyun	الْعَلِيُّ al-ʕaliyyu	عَلِيَّةٌ ʕaliyyatun	الْعَلِيَّةُ al-ʕaliyyatu
Accusative	عَلِيًّا ʕaliyyan	الْعَلِيَّ al-ʕaliyya	عَلِيَّةً ʕaliyyatan	الْعَلِيَّةَ al-ʕaliyyata
Genitive	عَلِيٍّ ʕaliyyin	الْعَلِيِّ al-ʕaliyyi	عَلِيَّةٍ ʕaliyyatin	الْعَلِيَّةِ al-ʕaliyyati
Dual	Masculine		Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	عَلِيَّيْن ʕaliyyayn	الْعَلِيَّيْن al-ʕaliyyayn	عَلِيَّتَيْن ʕaliyyatayn	الْعَلِيَّتَيْن al-ʕaliyyatayn
Nominative	عَلِيَّانِ ʕaliyyāni	الْعَلِيَّانِ al-ʕaliyyāni	عَلِيَّتَانِ ʕaliyyatāni	الْعَلِيَّتَانِ al-ʕaliyyatāni
Accusative	عَلِيَّيْنِ ʕaliyyayni	الْعَلِيَّيْنِ al-ʕaliyyayni	عَلِيَّتَيْنِ ʕaliyyatayni	الْعَلِيَّتَيْنِ al-ʕaliyyatayni
Genitive	عَلِيَّيْنِ ʕaliyyayni	الْعَلِيَّيْنِ al-ʕaliyyayni	عَلِيَّتَيْنِ ʕaliyyatayni	الْعَلِيَّتَيْنِ al-ʕaliyyatayni
Plural	Masculine		Feminine
	sound masculine plural‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)		sound feminine plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Informal	عَلِيِّين‎; عِلْيَة ʕaliyyīn‎; ʕilya	الْعَلِيِّين‎; الْعِلْيَة al-ʕaliyyīn‎; al-ʕilya	عَلِيَّات ʕaliyyāt	الْعَلِيَّات al-ʕaliyyāt
Nominative	عَلِيُّونَ‎; عِلْيَةٌ ʕaliyyūna‎; ʕilyatun	الْعَلِيُّونَ‎; الْعِلْيَةُ al-ʕaliyyūna‎; al-ʕilyatu	عَلِيَّاتٌ ʕaliyyātun	الْعَلِيَّاتُ al-ʕaliyyātu
Accusative	عَلِيِّينَ‎; عِلْيَةً ʕaliyyīna‎; ʕilyatan	الْعَلِيِّينَ‎; الْعِلْيَةَ al-ʕaliyyīna‎; al-ʕilyata	عَلِيَّاتٍ ʕaliyyātin	الْعَلِيَّاتِ al-ʕaliyyāti
Genitive	عَلِيِّينَ‎; عِلْيَةٍ ʕaliyyīna‎; ʕilyatin	الْعَلِيِّينَ‎; الْعِلْيَةِ al-ʕaliyyīna‎; al-ʕilyati	عَلِيَّاتٍ ʕaliyyātin	الْعَلِيَّاتِ al-ʕaliyyāti

Declension of adjective عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy)

Synonyms

• عَالٍ (ʕālin)

Descendants

• → Ottoman Turkish: علی (alî)
• → Persian: علی ('ali)

(via feminine form عَلِيَّة (ʕaliyya)):

• → Ottoman Turkish: علیه (aliyye)
  • Turkish: aliyye
• → Persian: علیه ('aliyye)

Proper noun

عَلِيّ • (ʕaliyy) m

1. a male given name, Ali
2. ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through Ali's marriage to the Islamic prophet's daughter, Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ, recognized as the Islamic prophet's fourth rightly-guided successor in most of Sunni Islam and as the Islamic prophet's first legitimate successor in Shia Islam

Declension

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	—	عَلِي ʕalī	—
Nominative	—	عَلِيٌّ ʕaliyyun	—
Accusative	—	عَلِيًّا ʕaliyyan	—
Genitive	—	عَلِيٍّ ʕaliyyin	—

Declension of noun عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy)

Derived terms

• عَلَوِيّ (ʕalawiyy)

Descendants

• → Azerbaijani: Əli
• → Bashkir: Ғәли (Ğəli)
• → Bengali: আলী (alī)
• → English: Ali
• → Northern Luri: عںڵی (əłi)
• → Ottoman Turkish: علی (ali)
  • → Turkish: Ali
• → Persian: علی ('ali)
• → Somali: Cali
• → Swahili: Ali
• → Tatar: Гали (Ğali)

See also

Ali's birthname:

• حَيْدَر (ḥaydar)
• حَيْدَرَة (ḥaydara)

 

Vocative phrases:

• يَا عَلِيّ (yā ʕaliyy)
• يَا عَلِيّ مَدَد (yā ʕaliyy madad)

 

Honorifics & eulogies

• عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام (ʕalayhi s-salām)
• كَرَّمَ اللهُ وَجْهَه (karrama llāhu wajhah)

 

Titles & kunyas:

• أَبُو الْحَسَن (ʔabū l-ḥasan)
• أَبُو الْحَسَنَيْن (ʔabū l-ḥasanayn)
• أَبُو تُرَاب (ʔabū turāb)
• أَمِير النَّحْل (ʔamīr an-naḥl)
• أَمِير الْمُؤْمِنِين (ʔamīr al-muʔminīn)
• الْكَرَّار (al-karrār)
• اَلْمُرْتَضىٰ (al-murtaḍā)
• يَعْسُوب الدِّين (yaʕsūb ad-dīn)

 

Family (see also: Ahl al-Bayt):

• حَسَن (ḥasan)
• حُسَيْن (ḥusayn)
• فَاطِمَة (fāṭima)
• مُحَمَّد (muḥammad)

 

Rashidun Caliphs:

• أَبُو بَكْر (ʔabū bakr)
• عُثْمَان (ʕuṯmān)
• عُمَر (ʕumar)

 

Major Muslim sects & Khawarij (mainly divided on the issue of Ali):

• إِبَاضِيَّة (ʔibāḍiyya)
• خَوَارِج (ḵawārij)
• سُنَّة (sunna)
• شِيعَة (šīʕa)

 

Shi'a (Arabic for Partisans (of Ali)) sects:

• إِمَامِيَّة (ʔimāmiyya)
• اِثْنَا عَشْرِيّة (iṯnā ʕašriyya)
• جَعْفَرِيَّة (jaʕfariyya)

 

• زَيْدِيَّة (zaydiyya)

 

• إِسْمَاعِيلِيَّة (ʔismāʕīliyya)
• مُسْتَعْلِيَّة (mustaʕliyya)
• نِزَارِيَّة (nizāriyya)

 

Descriptions & slurs:

• رَافِضِيّ (rāfiḍiyy)
• نَاصِبِيّ (nāṣibiyy)

 

Etymology 1.3

Root
ع ل ي (ʕ l y)
20 terms

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕalj/

Noun

عَلْي • (ʕaly) m

1. verbal noun of عَلَى (ʕalā) (form I)

Declension

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	عَلْي ʕaly	الْعَلْي al-ʕaly	عَلْي ʕaly
Nominative	عَلْيٌ ʕalyun	الْعَلْيُ al-ʕalyu	عَلْيُ ʕalyu
Accusative	عَلْيًا ʕalyan	الْعَلْيَ al-ʕalya	عَلْيَ ʕalya
Genitive	عَلْيٍ ʕalyin	الْعَلْيِ al-ʕalyi	عَلْيِ ʕalyi

Declension of noun عَلْي (ʕaly)

Etymology 1.4

Root
ع ل ي (ʕ l y)
20 terms

Verb

عُلِيَ • (ʕuliya) (form I) /ʕu.li.ja/

1. third-person masculine singular past passive of عَلَا (ʕalā)

Etymology 1.5

Root
ع ل ي (ʕ l y)
20 terms

Verb

عُلِيَ • (ʕuliya) (form I) /ʕu.li.ja/

1. third-person masculine singular past passive of عَلَى (ʕalā, “to climb”)

References

1. • Wehr, Hans (1979) “علو”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN.

Hijazi Arabic

Root
ع ل ي
1 term

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَلِيَ (ʕaliya).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕi.li/, [ʕɪ.li]

Verb

علي • (ʕili) I (non-past يعلى (yiʕla))

1. (intransitive) to rise, to be risen

   Antonym: وطي (wiṭi)

2. (intransitive) to be exalted, high

Conjugation

Conjugation of علي (ʕili)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	عليت (ʕilīt)	عليت (ʕilīt)	علي (ʕili)		علينا (ʕilīna)	عليتوا (ʕilītu)	عليوا (ʕilyu)
	f		عليتي (ʕilīti)	عِلْيَت (ʕilyat)
non-past	m	أعلى (ʔaʕla)	تعلى (tiʕla)	يعلى (yiʕla)		نعلى (niʕla)	تعلوا (tiʕlu)	يعلوا (yiʕlu)
	f		تعلي (tiʕli)	تعلى (tiʕla)
imperative	m		اعلى (aʕla)				اعلوا (aʕlu)
	f		اعلي (aʕli)

Etymology 2

From عَلَى (“on”) +‎ ـيَ (“me”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.laj.ja/

Adverb

علي • (ʕalayya)

1. on me

Etymology 3

From Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.li/

Proper noun

عَلِي • (ʕali) m

1. a male given name

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕal.li/

Verb

علي • (ʕalli)

1. second-person masculine singular active imperative of عَلَّى (ʕalla)

   raise!

South Levantine Arabic

Root
ع ل ي
4 terms

Etymology

From Arabic عَلِيَ (ʕaliya).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕi.li/, [ˈʕi.li]

• Audio (al-Lidd):

  (file)

Verb

علي • (ʕili) I (present بعلى (biʕla))

1. to rise (the volume, one's voice, etc.)

   Antonym: وطي (wiṭi)

Conjugation

Conjugation of علي (ʕili)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	عليت (ʕlīt)	عليت (ʕlīt)	علي (ʕili)		علينا (ʕlīna)	عليتو (ʕlītu)	عليو (ʕilyu)
	f		عليتي (ʕlīti)	عليت (ʕilyat)
present	m	بعلى (baʕla)	بتعلى (btiʕla)	بعلى (biʕla)		بنعلى (mniʕla)	بتعلو (btiʕlu)	بعلو (biʕlu)
	f		بتعلي (btiʕli)	بتعلى (btiʕla)
subjunctive	m	اعلى (aʕla)	تعلى (tiʕla)	يعلى (yiʕla)		نعلى (niʕla)	تعلو (tiʕlu)	يعلو (yiʕlu)
	f		تعلي (tiʕli)	تعلى (tiʕla)
imperative	m		اعلى (iʕla)				اعلو (iʕlu)
	f		اعلي (iʕli)