Alim
/ˈɑː.lɪm/noun
A Muslim scholar, especially one learned in Islamic theology or law.
Did you know?The Arabic root ʿ-l-m also appears in ʿilm, meaning religious or scholarly knowledge, while al-ʿĀlim—“the All-Knowing”—is an Islamic divine epithet.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ʿ-l-m
“To know or perceive; the ancient root associated with knowledge and signs.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ʿilm
“Knowledge, learning, or religious understanding.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ʿālim
“A person who knows; a learned scholar.”
Medieval Islamic World
Arabic
al-ʿālim
“The scholar; also, in the form al-ʿĀlim, “the All-Knowing,” a divine epithet.”
19th–20th Century
English
alim
“A Muslim religious scholar, adopted into English from Arabic usage.”