Where does “ا” come from?
ا (Egyptian Arabic) comes from Arabic ا, from Arabic هـ, from Arabic هِجْرَة, from Arabic هَجَرَ — emigrate, to abandon; to emigrate; to abandon.
Ancestry of “ا”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arabic | ا | Although usually considered to be the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, the small hamza (ء) that sits on top of أ is really the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, and the tall column is its bearer, together known as alif mahmūza (أَلِف مهموزة, hamzated alif). This entry only deals with the lowe |
| 2 | Arabic | هـ | in the year of the Hegira (AH) |
| 3 | Arabic | هِجْرَة | Hijra; emigration; exodus; emigration; Hegira |
| 4 | Arabic | هَجَرَ | emigrate, to abandon; to emigrate; to abandon |