Sura
/ˈsʊərə/noun
A chapter or distinct section of the Qur’an.
Did you know?The Arabic plural of sūrah is suwar, and the word became central to Qur’anic structure long before it entered English as a religious loanword.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
sūrah
“A distinct chapter or section, especially of the Qur’an”
7th Century
Arabic
sūrat
“A Qur’anic chapter, as used in the text and early Islamic tradition”
Medieval Period
Arabic
suwar
“Plural of sūrah; chapters or sections”
17th Century
English
sura
“An English rendering for a chapter of the Qur’an”
Modern English
English
sura
“A chapter of the Qur’an”