شَعْبٌ

verbal noun of شَعَبَ [q. v.]. (Msb.)

[Used as a simple subst., it signifies Collection, or union: and also separation, division, or disunion; and] a state of separation or division or disunion; (K, TA;) as also شُعْبَةٌ: (S, TA:) plural of the former شُعُوبٌ. (TA.)

And [hence, perhaps, as implying both union and division,] Such as is divided [into sub-tribes], of the tribes of the Arabs and foreigners: (S: [in my copy of the Msb, ما انقسمت فيه قبايءل العرب, as though it meant the tribes of the Arabs collectively, agreeably with another explanation to be mentioned below; but I think that there may be a mistranscription in this case:]) plural شُعُوبٌ: (S, Msb:) or it signifies, as some say, (Msb,) or signifies also, (S,) a great tribe; synonym قَبِيلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ, (S, A, K,) or حَىٌّ عَظِيمٌ; (Msb;) the parent of the [tribes called] قَبَايءِل, to which they refer their origin, and which comprises them: (S:) or, as some say, a great tribe (حَىٌّ عَظِيمٌ) forming a branch of a قَبِيلَة: or a قَبِيلَة itself: (TA:) A' Obeyd says, on the authority of Ibn-El-Kelbee, on the authority of his father, that the شَعْب is greater than the قَبِيلَة; next to which is the فَصِيلَة; then, the عَمَارَة; then, the بَطْن; then, the فَخِذ: (S, TA:) but IB says that the true order is that which Ez-Zubeyr Ibn-Bekkár has stated, and is as follows: (TA:) [i. e.] the genealogies of the Arabs consist of six degrees; (Msb;) first, the شَعْب; then, the قَبِيلَة; then, the عَمَارَة, (Msb, TA,) with fet-h and with kesr, to the ع; (Msb;) then, the بَطْن; then, the فَخِذ; and then, the فَصيلَة: thus, Khuzeymeh is a شعب; and Kináneh, a قبيلَة; and Kureysh, an عمارة; and Kuseí, a بطن; and Háshim, a فخذ; and El-'Abbás, a فصيلة: (Msb, TA:) and Aboo-Usámeh says that these classes are agreeable with the order obtaining in the structure of man; the شعب is the greatest of them, derived from the شَعْب [or suture] of the head; next is the قبيلة, from the قبيلة [which is a term applied to any one of the four principal bones] of the head; then, the عمارة, which is the breast; then, the بطن [or belly]; then, the فخذ [or thigh]; and then, the فصيلة, which is the shank: to these some add the عَشِتيرَة, which consists of few in comparison with what are before mentioned: (TA:) and some add after this the رَهْط: some also add the جِذْم before the شعب: (TA in article بطن:) the plural is as above. (TA.) It signifies also A nation, people, race, or family of mankind; synonym جِيلٌ; as explained by IM and others: in the K, [and in a copy of the A,] erroneously, جَبَل [a mountain]: (TA:) but it is [strangely] said by Aboo-'Obeyd El-Bekree that according to all except Bundár, the word in this sense is شِعْبٌ, with kesr. (MF.) And the plural, شُعُوبٌ, is [said to be] especially applied to denote the foreigners (العَجَم): (TA:) [thus it is said that] the phrase, in a tradition, إِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الشُّعُوبِ أَسْلَمَ means [Verily a man] of the foreigners (العَجَم) [became a Muslim: but see الشُّعُوبِيَّةُ]. (S.)

Also, [as implying separation,] Distance, or remoteness. (A, K.) So in the phrase شَعْبُ الدَّارِ [The distance, or remoteness, of the abode, or dwelling]. (TA.)

And A crack (S, A, K, TA) in a thing, (S,) which the شَعَّاب repairs. (S, * TA.)

And The place of junction [i. e. the suture] of the قَبَايءِل [or principal bones] of the head; (K;) the شَأْن which conjoins the قبايءل of the head: the قبايءل in the head being [the frontal bone, the occipital bone, and the two parietal bones; in all,] four in number. (S.)

[Hence, perhaps,] هُمَا شَعْبَانِ (assumed tropical:) They two are likes [or like each other]. (S.)