عِيرٌ

A caravan; synonym قَافِلَةٌ; of the feminine gen.: (K:) from عَارَ “ he journeyed: ” (TA:) or camels that carry provision of corn: (S, Mgh, O, Msb, K:) then generally applied to any caravan: (Mgh, Msb:) or a caravan of asses; and then extended to any caravan; as though plural of عَيْرٌ, being originally and regularly of the measure فُعُلٌ, [i. e. عُيُرٌ,] like سُقُفٌ as plural of سَقْفٌ; (TA;) but it has no proper singular: (K:) or any beasts upon which provision of corn is brought, whether camels or asses or mules: (K:) the عير mentioned in the Qur'an, 12:94 consisted of asses; and the assertion of him who says that عير is applied specially to camels is false: (AHeyth, O, TA:) Nuseyr cites the poet Aboo-'Amr El-Asadee as applying this appellation to asses; and says that camels are not so called unless employed for bringing provision of corn: (AHeyth, TA:) IAar says that it is applied to camels bearing burdens, and not bearing burdens: (Az:) but camels are not thus called that bring corn for their owners: (TA, voce رِكَاب:) plural عِيَرَاتٌ, (O, K,) with ا and ت because it is of the feminine gender, and, being a subst., with the ى movent, according to the dialect of Hudheyl, for they say جَوْزَاتٌ and بَيْضَاتٌ; (Sb;) and عِيْرَاتٌ (S, K) is allowable, (S,) and is the regular form, and occurs in a tradition, meaning horses or the like, and camels carrying merchandise. (TA.)