From Aramaic הֶמְיָנָא (hemyānā, “belt”), spelled in Classical Syriac ܗܶܡܝܳܢܳܐ (hemyānā) and in Classical Persian همیان (hemyân). From Middle Persian (hmbstn' /hambastan/, “to bind together, to encircle; girth or width”), from Middle Persian (hm /ham/, “also, same; united or to be together”), from Old Persian 𐏃𐎶 (ham(a), “same, together”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *somHós (“same”) cognate with English same and Persian هَم (ham, “also”).
هِمْيَان or هَمْيَان • (himyān or hamyān) m (plural هَمَايِن (hamāyin) or هَمَايِين (hamāyīn))
In the time of ʿUmar a زُنَّار (zunnār) would mean a belt worn by Christians, Jews, Sabians, Magians and other non-Muslims; for it had become fashionable in the Byzantine Empire under Diocletian and Constantine to wear a ζώνη (zṓnē) or cingulum which was first a symbol of servitude in public office and then in religious office. For Zoroastrians parallelly the conviction developed to wear a كُسْتِيج (kustīj, “belt”), whereas Babylonian Jews wore a هِمْيَان (himyān) הֶמְיָנָא (hemyānā, “belt”). Public officials in the Iranian empire wore a كَمَر (kamar, “belt”) without which no Iranian of distinction would go out, termed in Arabic مِنْطَقَة (minṭaqa, “belt”). With the new Muslim rulers the former girdles were imposed and the كَمَر (kamar) or مِنْطَقَة (minṭaqa) prohibited for non-Muslims. An Arabic term for “girdle” neutral from the beginning is حِزَام (ḥizām).
| Singular | basic singular triptote | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
| Informal | هِمْيَان; هَمْيَان himyān; hamyān |
الْهِمْيَان; الْهَمْيَان al-himyān; al-hamyān |
هِمْيَان; هَمْيَان himyān; hamyān |
| Nominative | هِمْيَانٌ; هَمْيَانٌ himyānun; hamyānun |
الْهِمْيَانُ; الْهَمْيَانُ al-himyānu; al-hamyānu |
هِمْيَانُ; هَمْيَانُ himyānu; hamyānu |
| Accusative | هِمْيَانًا; هَمْيَانًا himyānan; hamyānan |
الْهِمْيَانَ; الْهَمْيَانَ al-himyāna; al-hamyāna |
هِمْيَانَ; هَمْيَانَ himyāna; hamyāna |
| Genitive | هِمْيَانٍ; هَمْيَانٍ himyānin; hamyānin |
الْهِمْيَانِ; الْهَمْيَانِ al-himyāni; al-hamyāni |
هِمْيَانِ; هَمْيَانِ himyāni; hamyāni |
| Dual | Indefinite | Definite | Construct |
| Informal | هِمْيَانَيْن; هَمْيَانَيْن himyānayn; hamyānayn |
الْهِمْيَانَيْن; الْهَمْيَانَيْن al-himyānayn; al-hamyānayn |
هِمْيَانَيْ; هَمْيَانَيْ himyānay; hamyānay |
| Nominative | هِمْيَانَانِ; هَمْيَانَانِ himyānāni; hamyānāni |
الْهِمْيَانَانِ; الْهَمْيَانَانِ al-himyānāni; al-hamyānāni |
هِمْيَانَا; هَمْيَانَا himyānā; hamyānā |
| Accusative | هِمْيَانَيْنِ; هَمْيَانَيْنِ himyānayni; hamyānayni |
الْهِمْيَانَيْنِ; الْهَمْيَانَيْنِ al-himyānayni; al-hamyānayni |
هِمْيَانَيْ; هَمْيَانَيْ himyānay; hamyānay |
| Genitive | هِمْيَانَيْنِ; هَمْيَانَيْنِ himyānayni; hamyānayni |
الْهِمْيَانَيْنِ; الْهَمْيَانَيْنِ al-himyānayni; al-hamyānayni |
هِمْيَانَيْ; هَمْيَانَيْ himyānay; hamyānay |
| Plural | basic broken plural diptote | ||
| Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
| Informal | هَمَايِن; هَمَايِين hamāyin; hamāyīn |
الْهَمَايِن; الْهَمَايِين al-hamāyin; al-hamāyīn |
هَمَايِن; هَمَايِين hamāyin; hamāyīn |
| Nominative | هَمَايِنُ; هَمَايِينُ hamāyinu; hamāyīnu |
الْهَمَايِنُ; الْهَمَايِينُ al-hamāyinu; al-hamāyīnu |
هَمَايِنُ; هَمَايِينُ hamāyinu; hamāyīnu |
| Accusative | هَمَايِنَ; هَمَايِينَ hamāyina; hamāyīna |
الْهَمَايِنَ; الْهَمَايِينَ al-hamāyina; al-hamāyīna |
هَمَايِنَ; هَمَايِينَ hamāyina; hamāyīna |
| Genitive | هَمَايِنَ; هَمَايِينَ hamāyina; hamāyīna |
الْهَمَايِنِ; الْهَمَايِينِ al-hamāyini; al-hamāyīni |
هَمَايِنِ; هَمَايِينِ hamāyini; hamāyīni |