ايَةٌ

A sign, token, or mark, by which a person or thing is known; synonym عَلَامَةٌ (IAar, T, S, M, Msb, K) and أَمَارَةٌ: (M, K:) it properly signifies any apparent thing inseparable from a thing not equally apparent, so that when one perceives the former, he knows that he perceives the other, which he cannot perceive by itself, when the two things are of one predicament; and this is apparent in the object of sense and in that of the intellect: (Er-Rághib, TA:) it is of the measure فَعْلَةٌ, (M, K,) originally أَيَّةٌ; the [former] ى being changed to ا because the letter before it is with fet-h, though this is an extraordinary change: (M:) this is related as on the authority of Sb: (TA:) or it is of the measure فَعَلَةٌ, (M, K,) according to Kh; (M;) originally أَوَيَةٌ; (S;) [for, according to J and Fei,] Sb said that its medial radical letter is و, and that the final is ى, because words of this class are more common than those of which the medial and final radical letters are both ى; (S, Msb;) and the rel. n. is أَوَوِىُّ: (S:) but IB says, Sb did not state that the medial radical letter of ايَةٌ is و, as J states; but he said that it is originally أَيَةٌ, and that the quiescent و is changed into ا; and he relates of Kh, that he allowed the rel. n. of ايَةٌ to be ↓ ايءِىٌّ and ↓ ايِىٌّ and اوِىٌّ; but as to أَوَوِىٌّ, he says, I know not any one who has said it except J: (TA:) or it is of the measure فَاعِلَةٌ, (S, Msb, K,) originally ايَيَةٌ, contracted by the suppression of its final radical letter [with the preceding kesreh]: so according to Fr: [but see what follows (after the pls.), where this is said to be the opinion of Ks, and disallowed by Fr:] (S, Msb:) the plural is ايَاتٌ and ↓ اىٌ, (S, M, Msb, K,) [or the latter is rather a coll. gen. n.,] and plural plural ايَاءٌ: (M, K:) J says that one of its pls. is ايَاىٌ; [and we find the same also in some copies of the K;] but this is a mistake for ايَاءٌ, which is plural of اىٌ, not of ايَةٌ: (IB, TA:) and this plural, being of the measure أَفْعَالٌ, has been adduced as evidence that the medial radical letter is ى, not و: (TA:) the diminutive is ↓ إِيَيَّةٌ, [of the measure فُعَيلَةٌ changed to فعَيْلَةٌ because of the medial radical ى,] which, according to Fr, shows the opinion of Ks, that ايَةٌ is of the measure فَاعِلَةٌ rendered defective by the suppression of its final radical letter, to be incorrect, because [Fr holds, in opposition to some others, that] a noun of this measure has not its diminutive formed on the measure فُعَيْلَةٌ unless it is a proper name. (T.) They said, اِفْعَلْهُ بِايَةِ كَذَا [Do thou it at the sign of such a thing]; like as you say, بِعَلَامَةِ كَذَا and بِأَمَارَةِ. (M.) And [in this sense, as is indicated by the context in the M,] it is one of the nouns that are prefixed to verbs [as virtually governing the gen. case], (M, K, *) because of the nearness of its meaning to the meaning of time: (K:) as in the saying [of a poet],

بِايَةِ تُقْدِمُونَ الخَيْلَ شُعْثًا

[At the sign of your urging forward the horses, unsmoothed in their coats, or not curried; which means nearly the same as “at the time of your urging” &c.]. (M.)

A sign as meaning an indication, an evidence, or a proof. (TA.)

A sign as meaning a miracle; [and a wonder; for] ايَاتُ اللّٰهِ means the wonders of God. (TA.)

An example, or a warning; (Fr, T, M, Msb, K;) as, for instance, the case of Joseph and his brethren, related in the Qur'an: (Fr, T:) plural ↓ اىٌ (M, K) and ايَاتٌ. (Fr, T.)

A message, or communication sent from one person or party to another; synonym رِسَالَةٌ. (TA.)

The body, or corporeal form or figure or substance, (S, M, K,) of a man, (S,) which one sees from a distance; [as being a kind of sign;] or a person, or an individual; synonym شَخْصٌ. (S, M, K.)

A whole company of people: as in the saying, خَرَجَ القَوْمُ بِايَتِهِمْ The people, or party, went forth with their whole company, not leaving behind them anything. (AA, S, M.)

[Hence, according to some, A verse of the Qur'an; as being] a collection of words of the Book of God: (S:) or a connected form of words of the Qur'an continued to its breaking off; (K, TA;) according to Aboo-Bekr, so called because it is a sign of the breaking off: (TA:) or a portion of the Qur'an after which a suspension of speech is approvable: (Msb:) or a portion of the Qur'an denoting any statute, or ordinance, of God, whether it be [what is generally termed] an ايَة, [i. e. a verse,] or a chapter (سُورَة), or an aggregate [and distinct] portion of the latter. (Er-Rághib, Kull, TA. *) [الايَةَ, written after a quotation of a part of a verse of the Qur'an, means اِقْرَأِ الايَةض Read thou the verse.]