Rabb
/rɑːb/noun
An Arabic Islamic term meaning Lord, master, or sustainer, especially referring to God.
Did you know?In the Qur’an, ar-Rabb is repeatedly used for God, including Rabb al-ʿālamīn—“Lord of the worlds”—emphasizing divine care as well as authority.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*r-b-b
“A reconstructed root associated with greatness, lordship, mastery, and nurturing authority.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
rav
“Great, chief, or master; the source of later Jewish titles for learned teachers.”
Aramaic
Aramaic
rabbā
“Great or master; a title of respect and authority.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
rabb
“Lord, master, owner, or one who nurtures and brings something to completion.”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
Rabb al-ʿālamīn
“Lord of the worlds, a Qur’anic designation for God.”
Modern English
English
Rabb
“An English transliteration used in Islamic religious and scholarly contexts for God as Lord or Sustainer.”