أَفِيلٌ

A young camel such as is termed اِبْنُ مَخَاضٍ [i. e. that has entered its second year]; (As, ElFárábee, S, M, Msb, K;) and the like; (S;) or, and also such as is above this [in age]; (ElFárábee, M, Msb, K;) or, and also such as is termed اِبْنُ لَبُونٍ [i. e. that has entered the third year]; beyond which it is not so called: (As, TA:) or that is seven months old, or eight: (As, Msb:) or a youthful camel: (AZ, Msb:) and also (M, K) a young weaned camel; synonym فَصِيلٌّ: (T, M, Msb, K:) feminine with ة: (As, S:) plural إِفَالٌ (T, S, M, K) and أَفَايءِلُ, (Sb, S, M, K,) which latter they liken to ذَنَايءِبُ as plural of ذنُوبٌ. (M.) [In my copy of the Msb, the plural is said to be إفالة: and it is also there said, on the authority of IF, that افالة signifies the young ones of sheep.] It is said in a prov., إِنَّمَا القَرْمِ مِنَ الأَفِيلِ [The stallion-camel is only that which has increased in growth from the young one in its second year, &c.]; i. e. what is great has begun small. (TA.)

Perseus ID: n966