إِلهٌ
, or إِلَاهٌ, [the former of which is the more common mode of writing the word,] is of the measure فعَالٌ (S, Msb, K) in the sense of the measure مَفْعُولٌ, (S, Msb,) like كِتَابٌ in the sense of مَكْتُوبٌ, and بِسَاطٌ in the sense of مَبْسُوطً, (Msb,) meaning
مَأْلْوةٌ [An object of worship or adoration; i. e. a god, a deity]; (S, Msb, K) anything that is taken as an object of worship or adoration, according to him who takes it as such: (K:) with the article ال, properly, i. q.
اللّٰهُ; [sec this word below;] but applied by the believers in a plurality of gods to what is worshipped by them to the exclusion of
اللّٰه: (Msb:) plural الِهَةٌ: (Msb, TA:) which signifies idols: (JK, S, TA:) in the K, this meaning is erroneously assigned to إِلَاهَةٌ: (TA:) [not so in the CK; but there, الالِهَةُ is put in a place where we should read الإِلَاهَةُ, or إِلَاهَةُ without the article:]
الإِلَاهَةُ [is the feminine of الإِلَاهُ, and] signifies [the goddess: and particularly] the serpent: [(a meaning erroneously assigned in the CK to الالِهَةُ; as also other meanings here following:) because it was a special object of the worship of some of the ancient Arabs:] (K:) or the great serpent: (Th:) and the [new moon; or the moon when it is termed] هِلَال: (Th, K:) and, (S, K,) as also
إِلَاهَةُ, without ال, the former perfectly decl., and the latter imperfectly decl., (S,) and
الأُلَاهَةُ, (IAar, K,) and
أُلَاهَةُ, (IAar, TA,) and
الأَلَاهَةُ, (K,) [and apparently
أَلَاهَةُ,] and
الأَلِيهَةُ, (K,) the sun; (S, K;) apparently so called because of the honour and worship which they paid to it: (S:) or the hot sun. (Th, TA.) [إِلهٌ is the same as the Hebrew
אֱלוֹהַּ and The Chaldee
XXX; and is of uncertain derivaTion: accord. To some,] it is originally وِلَاهٌ, like as إِشَاحٌ is originally وِشَاحٌ; meaning that mankind yearn towards him who is thus called, [seeking protection or aid,] in their wants, and humble themselves to him in their afflictions, like as every infant yearns towards its mother. (TA.) [See also the opinions, cited below, on the derivation of اللّٰهُ.]