اللات

Arabic

Alternative forms
  • اَللَّٰت‎ (al-lāt) – classical spelling

Etymology

Uncertain. Possible etymologies:[1]

  • From the root ل ت ت‎ (l-t-t), from which the verb لَتَّ‎ (latta, “to mix, or knead, barley-meal”) is derived. This is the explanation given in Arab lexicographical tradition and supported by epigraphic evidence; compare Hismaic 𐪁𐪉‎ (lt).
  • A feminine form of اللّٰه‎ (allāh) or الإلٰه‎ (al-ʔilāh). This is supported by the form given by Herodotus, who identifies Ἀλιλᾱ́τ (Alilā́t) (which would correspond to *اَلْإِلَات (*alʔilāt)) with Aphrodite Urania,[2] and is explained as having the same ending as some ossified vocative forms like أَخَات (ʔaḵāt) for أُخْت‎ (ʔuḵt, “sister”).[3] However, many gods and goddesses were referred to by the titles الإلٰه‎ (al-ʔilāh) and الإِلٰهَة‎ (al-ʔilāha), and so it is not certain that the goddess referenced by Herodotus is the same.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /al.laːt/

Proper noun

اللَّات • (al-lāt) f

  1. (Arabian mythology) Allat
    • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 53:19-20:
      ‏أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَٱلْعُزَّى وَمَنَاةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَى‎
      ʔafaraʔaytumu l-lāta wal-ʕuzzā wamanāta ṯ-ṯāliṯata l-ʔuḵrā
      So have you considered al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā? And Manāt, the third - the other one?

Declension
Declension of noun اللَّات (al-lāt)
Singular basic singular diptote
Indefinite Definite Construct
Informal — اللَّات
al-lāt		 —
Nominative — اللَّاتُ
al-lātu		 —
Accusative — اللَّاتَ
al-lāta		 —
Genitive — اللَّاتِ
al-lāti		 —

Descendants
  • → Ancient Greek: Ἀλιλάτ (Alilát)
  • → English: Allat

References
  1. Fahd, T., "al-Lāt", Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. 5: Khe-Mahi, 2nd edition, ed. by C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis and Ch. Pellat, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1986, page 892
  2. J.F. Healey, The Religion of the Nabataeans: A Conspectus
  3. Bauer, Hans (1915), “Semitische Sprachprobleme. 5. Die Verwandtschaftsnamen und ilāh „Gott“ im Semitischen”, in Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft (in German), volume 69, page 561

Further reading
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