From the root ص ف ف (ṣ-f-f) meaning to be in rows, to grow parallel, possibly in reference to the branch shape. Alternatively, from this sense of being side by side there is also the meaning to gather together at water, as willows are prone to do. There is potentially also a connection to the onomatopoeic sense of whistling, to rustle, perhaps semantically related to "weeping" in English weeping willow. Cognate to Hebrew צַפְצָפָה (ṣap̄ṣāp̄á, “willow; vines or dangling vine-like branches”).
صَفْصَاف • (ṣafṣāf) m (collective, singulative صَفْصَافَة f (ṣafṣāfa), plural صَفَاصِف (ṣafāṣif))
Collective | basic collective triptote | ||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | صَفْصَاف ṣafṣāf |
الصَّفْصَاف aṣ-ṣafṣāf |
صَفْصَاف ṣafṣāf |
Nominative | صَفْصَافٌ ṣafṣāfun |
الصَّفْصَافُ aṣ-ṣafṣāfu |
صَفْصَافُ ṣafṣāfu |
Accusative | صَفْصَافًا ṣafṣāfan |
الصَّفْصَافَ aṣ-ṣafṣāfa |
صَفْصَافَ ṣafṣāfa |
Genitive | صَفْصَافٍ ṣafṣāfin |
الصَّفْصَافِ aṣ-ṣafṣāfi |
صَفْصَافِ ṣafṣāfi |
Singulative | singulative triptote in ـَة (-a) | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | صَفْصَافَة ṣafṣāfa |
الصَّفْصَافَة aṣ-ṣafṣāfa |
صَفْصَافَة ṣafṣāfat |
Nominative | صَفْصَافَةٌ ṣafṣāfatun |
الصَّفْصَافَةُ aṣ-ṣafṣāfatu |
صَفْصَافَةُ ṣafṣāfatu |
Accusative | صَفْصَافَةً ṣafṣāfatan |
الصَّفْصَافَةَ aṣ-ṣafṣāfata |
صَفْصَافَةَ ṣafṣāfata |
Genitive | صَفْصَافَةٍ ṣafṣāfatin |
الصَّفْصَافَةِ aṣ-ṣafṣāfati |
صَفْصَافَةِ ṣafṣāfati |
Dual | Indefinite | Definite | Construct |
Informal | صَفْصَافَتَيْن ṣafṣāfatayn |
الصَّفْصَافَتَيْن aṣ-ṣafṣāfatayn |
صَفْصَافَتَيْ ṣafṣāfatay |
Nominative | صَفْصَافَتَانِ ṣafṣāfatāni |
الصَّفْصَافَتَانِ aṣ-ṣafṣāfatāni |
صَفْصَافَتَا ṣafṣāfatā |
Accusative | صَفْصَافَتَيْنِ ṣafṣāfatayni |
الصَّفْصَافَتَيْنِ aṣ-ṣafṣāfatayni |
صَفْصَافَتَيْ ṣafṣāfatay |
Genitive | صَفْصَافَتَيْنِ ṣafṣāfatayni |
الصَّفْصَافَتَيْنِ aṣ-ṣafṣāfatayni |
صَفْصَافَتَيْ ṣafṣāfatay |
Paucal (3-10) | sound feminine paucal | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | صَفْصَافَات ṣafṣāfāt |
الصَّفْصَافَات aṣ-ṣafṣāfāt |
صَفْصَافَات ṣafṣāfāt |
Nominative | صَفْصَافَاتٌ ṣafṣāfātun |
الصَّفْصَافَاتُ aṣ-ṣafṣāfātu |
صَفْصَافَاتُ ṣafṣāfātu |
Accusative | صَفْصَافَاتٍ ṣafṣāfātin |
الصَّفْصَافَاتِ aṣ-ṣafṣāfāti |
صَفْصَافَاتِ ṣafṣāfāti |
Genitive | صَفْصَافَاتٍ ṣafṣāfātin |
الصَّفْصَافَاتِ aṣ-ṣafṣāfāti |
صَفْصَافَاتِ ṣafṣāfāti |
Plural of variety | basic broken plural diptote | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | صَفَاصِف ṣafāṣif |
الصَّفَاصِف aṣ-ṣafāṣif |
صَفَاصِف ṣafāṣif |
Nominative | صَفَاصِفُ ṣafāṣifu |
الصَّفَاصِفُ aṣ-ṣafāṣifu |
صَفَاصِفُ ṣafāṣifu |
Accusative | صَفَاصِفَ ṣafāṣifa |
الصَّفَاصِفَ aṣ-ṣafāṣifa |
صَفَاصِفَ ṣafāṣifa |
Genitive | صَفَاصِفَ ṣafāṣifa |
الصَّفَاصِفِ aṣ-ṣafāṣifi |
صَفَاصِفِ ṣafāṣifi |