Diminutive of طِفْل (ṭifl, “little child”), though in the sense of “parasite” perhaps a backformation from the commoner adjective طُفَيْلِيّ (ṭufayliyy). Ancient Arabic lexicographers explained this sense as being derived from the name of a certain man called Ṭufayl, who, among the ancient Arabs, used to gatecrash feasts. However, a derivation directly from the diminutive sense might also make sense. Hebrew טַפִּיל (tapil, “parasite”) is a 19th-century invention based on the Arabic word.
طُفَيْل • (ṭufayl) m
| Singular | basic singular triptote | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
| Informal | طُفَيْل ṭufayl |
الطُّفَيْل aṭ-ṭufayl |
طُفَيْل ṭufayl |
| Nominative | طُفَيْلٌ ṭufaylun |
الطُّفَيْلُ aṭ-ṭufaylu |
طُفَيْلُ ṭufaylu |
| Accusative | طُفَيْلًا ṭufaylan |
الطُّفَيْلَ aṭ-ṭufayla |
طُفَيْلَ ṭufayla |
| Genitive | طُفَيْلٍ ṭufaylin |
الطُّفَيْلِ aṭ-ṭufayli |
طُفَيْلِ ṭufayli |