The form is a مِفْعال (mifʕāl) from the verb أَنَى (ʔanā, “to draw near”). Nevertheless, it is predominantly considered a loanword. Perhaps from Egyptian mjnwt (“harbor”) or mjnt (“mooring post”), related to Egyptian mjnj (“to moor”).[1][2] Alternatively from Ancient Greek λιμήν (limḗn, “harbour”), whence also Hebrew נמל (nāmēl), with l- reinterpreted as the Arabic article.
مِينَاء • (mīnāʔ) m (plural مَوَانِئ (mawāniʔ) or مَوَانٍ (mawānin))
Singular | basic singular triptote | ||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | مِينَاء mīnāʔ |
الْمِينَاء al-mīnāʔ |
مِينَاء mīnāʔ |
Nominative | مِينَاءٌ mīnāʔun |
الْمِينَاءُ al-mīnāʔu |
مِينَاءُ mīnāʔu |
Accusative | مِينَاءً mīnāʔan |
الْمِينَاءَ al-mīnāʔa |
مِينَاءَ mīnāʔa |
Genitive | مِينَاءٍ mīnāʔin |
الْمِينَاءِ al-mīnāʔi |
مِينَاءِ mīnāʔi |
Dual | Indefinite | Definite | Construct |
Informal | مِينَاءَيْن mīnāʔayn |
الْمِينَاءَيْن al-mīnāʔayn |
مِينَاءَيْ mīnāʔay |
Nominative | مِينَاءَانِ mīnāʔāni |
الْمِينَاءَانِ al-mīnāʔāni |
مِينَاءَا mīnāʔā |
Accusative | مِينَاءَيْنِ mīnāʔayni |
الْمِينَاءَيْنِ al-mīnāʔayni |
مِينَاءَيْ mīnāʔay |
Genitive | مِينَاءَيْنِ mīnāʔayni |
الْمِينَاءَيْنِ al-mīnāʔayni |
مِينَاءَيْ mīnāʔay |
Plural | basic broken plural diptote; broken plural diptote in ـٍ (-in) | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | مَوَانِئ; مَوَانِي mawāniʔ; mawānī |
الْمَوَانِئ; الْمَوَانِي al-mawāniʔ; al-mawānī |
مَوَانِئ; مَوَانِي mawāniʔ; mawānī |
Nominative | مَوَانِئُ; مَوَانٍ mawāniʔu; mawānin |
الْمَوَانِئُ; الْمَوَانِي al-mawāniʔu; al-mawānī |
مَوَانِئُ; مَوَانِي mawāniʔu; mawānī |
Accusative | مَوَانِئَ; مَوَانِيَ mawāniʔa; mawāniya |
الْمَوَانِئَ; الْمَوَانِيَ al-mawāniʔa; al-mawāniya |
مَوَانِئَ; مَوَانِيَ mawāniʔa; mawāniya |
Genitive | مَوَانِئَ; مَوَانٍ mawāniʔa; mawānin |
الْمَوَانِئِ; الْمَوَانِي al-mawāniʔi; al-mawānī |
مَوَانِئِ; مَوَانِي mawāniʔi; mawānī |
مِينَاء • (mīnāʔ) m (plural مَوَانِئ (mawāniʔ))
Singular | basic singular triptote | ||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | مِينَاء mīnāʔ |
الْمِينَاء al-mīnāʔ |
مِينَاء mīnāʔ |
Nominative | مِينَاءٌ mīnāʔun |
الْمِينَاءُ al-mīnāʔu |
مِينَاءُ mīnāʔu |
Accusative | مِينَاءً mīnāʔan |
الْمِينَاءَ al-mīnāʔa |
مِينَاءَ mīnāʔa |
Genitive | مِينَاءٍ mīnāʔin |
الْمِينَاءِ al-mīnāʔi |
مِينَاءِ mīnāʔi |
Dual | Indefinite | Definite | Construct |
Informal | مِينَاءَيْن mīnāʔayn |
الْمِينَاءَيْن al-mīnāʔayn |
مِينَاءَيْ mīnāʔay |
Nominative | مِينَاءَانِ mīnāʔāni |
الْمِينَاءَانِ al-mīnāʔāni |
مِينَاءَا mīnāʔā |
Accusative | مِينَاءَيْنِ mīnāʔayni |
الْمِينَاءَيْنِ al-mīnāʔayni |
مِينَاءَيْ mīnāʔay |
Genitive | مِينَاءَيْنِ mīnāʔayni |
الْمِينَاءَيْنِ al-mīnāʔayni |
مِينَاءَيْ mīnāʔay |
Plural | basic broken plural diptote | ||
Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
Informal | مَوَانِئ mawāniʔ |
الْمَوَانِئ al-mawāniʔ |
مَوَانِئ mawāniʔ |
Nominative | مَوَانِئُ mawāniʔu |
الْمَوَانِئُ al-mawāniʔu |
مَوَانِئُ mawāniʔu |
Accusative | مَوَانِئَ mawāniʔa |
الْمَوَانِئَ al-mawāniʔa |
مَوَانِئَ mawāniʔa |
Genitive | مَوَانِئَ mawāniʔa |
الْمَوَانِئِ al-mawāniʔi |
مَوَانِئِ mawāniʔi |