Ḍabbah
/ˈdɑːb.ə/noun
An Arabic term meaning a living creature or beast, especially the apocalyptic creature known as Dābbat al-Arḍ.
Did you know?In the Qur’an, Dābbat al-Arḍ is described as a creature from the Earth that will speak to humanity, though Islamic traditions differ about its exact form and role.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*d-b-b
“To move slowly, creep, or crawl”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
دَبَّ (dabba)
“He crept, crawled, or moved along the ground”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
دَابَّة (dābbah)
“A moving creature, animal, or beast”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
دَابَّةُ الْأَرْض (Dābbat al-Arḍ)
“The creature of the Earth, an eschatological sign”
Medieval Islamic tradition
Arabic
Dābbah
“An apocalyptic beast associated with the end times”
Modern English
English
Ḍabbah
“A transliterated Islamic term for the creature or beast of the Earth”
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