Zuhur
/zuːˈhʊər/noun
An appearance, emergence, or manifestation, especially in Islamic or Arabic philosophical and mystical contexts.
Did you know?Zuhur comes from the Arabic root ẓ-h-r, which also produces ẓāhir, meaning “apparent” or “outward,” a key contrast in Islamic mystical writing with the hidden or inward.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ẓ-h-r
“A reconstructed root associated with appearing, becoming visible, and the outward or exposed side.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ẓahara
“He appeared, became manifest, or became evident; the related noun ẓahr also means “back.””
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ẓuhūr
“Appearance, emergence, manifestation, or coming into visibility.”
Medieval Islamic Thought
Arabic
ẓuhūr
“Manifestation or disclosure, used in theological, philosophical, and mystical discussions of what becomes outwardly apparent.”
Modern English
English
zuhur
“A transliterated Arabic loanword meaning appearance, emergence, or manifestation.”