كاهن

See also: کاهن‎

Arabic

Etymology

Derived from the active participle of كَهَنَ‎ (kahana, “to predict the future”), from the root ك ه ن‎ (k-h-n). Compare Hebrew כּוֹהֵן‎ (kôhēn), Ugaritic 𐎋𐎅𐎐 (khn), Aramaic כָּהֲנָא‎ (kāhănā) and Phoenician 𐤊𐤄𐤍‎ (khn), Ge'ez ካህን (kahn), Classical Syriac ܟܗܢܐ‎.

Noun

كَاهِن • (kāhin) m (plural كَاهِنُونَ‎ (kāhinūna) or كُهَّان‎ (kuhhān) or كَهَنَة‎ (kahana), feminine كَاهِنَة‎ (kāhina))

  1. diviner, soothsayer, prognosticator, fortuneteller, augur, forecaster
    Synonym: عَرَّاف‎ (ʿarrāf)
    • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 69:40-42:
      ‏إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ ۝ وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَاعِرٍ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تُؤْمِنُونَ ۝ وَلَا بِقَوْلِ كَاهِنٍ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ ۝‎‎
      ʾinnahu laqawlu rasūlin karīmin ۝ wamā huwa biqawli šāʿirin qalīlan mmā tuʾminūna ۝ walā biqawli kāhinin qalīlan mmā taḏakkarūna ۝
      (please add an English translation of this quote)
  2. (religion, Christianity) priest, father, chaplain, rector, prebend, clergyman, vicar, dominie, curate
    Synonyms: قِسِّيس‎ (qissīs), أَب‎ (ʾab)

Usage notes

  • Though كاهِن (kāhin) is used in a neutral fashion among Christians, it is certainly a very negative word among Muslims, associated with heathen practices. Therefore also Christians tend to prefer the term قِسِّيس‎ (qissīs)

Declension

Derived terms

  • سَجْع الْكُهَّان‎ m (sajʿ al-kuhhān, noun)
  • كَهَنُوت‎ (kahanūt)

Descendants

  • Persian: کاهن‎
  • → Swahili: kuhani
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