فُلْكٌ
1.
A ship: (S, O, Msb, K, &c.:) [also particularly applied to the ark of Noah; as in the Qur'an vii. 62, &c.:] the word is generally thus only; but some say
فُلُكٌ also, with two dammehs; and it is held that this may be the original form; and that فُلْكٌ may be a contraction, like as عُنْقٌ is [of غُنُقٌ according to Sb]: (MF, TA:) it is masculine and feminine, (S, O, K, *) and singular and plural, (S, O, K,) and Ibn-'Abbád says that it has فُلُوكٌ also for a plural: (O:) [it is said that] it may be singular, and in this case masculine; and plural, and in this case feminine: (IB, Msb:) [but see what here follows:] it occurs in the Qur'an in the following (and other) places: in xxvi. 119, &c.; where it is singular and masculine: (S, O, TA:) and in [xvi. 14 and] xxxv. 13; where it is plural [and feminine]: (TA:) and in ii. 159; where it is feminine, and may be either plural or singular: it seems that, when it is singular, it is regarded as meaning the مَرْكَب, and is therefore made masculine; or the سَفِينَة, and is therefore made feminine: (S, O, TA:) or, (K,) as Sb used to say, (S, O, TA,) the فُلْك that is a plural [in meaning] is a broken plural of that, (S, O, K, TA,) i. e. of the فُلْك, (IB, O, K, TA,) that is a singular [in meaning]: and it is not like الجُنُبُ, which is singular and plural [in meaning], and the like thereof (S, O, K, TA) among substs., such as الطِّفْلُ &c.; (S, O, TA;) for فُلْكَانِ has been heard from the Arabs as dual of فُلْكٌ, but not جُنُبَانِ [or the like] as dual of جُنُبٌ [or the like]; and they say that what has not been dualized is not a plural [form], but [is, or may be,] a homonym, and what has been dualized [is, or may be,] a plural [form]: (MF, TA:) Sb then says in continuation, (TA,) for فُعْلٌ and فَعَلٌ share in application to one thing [or meaning], as العُرْبُ and العَرَبُ, (S, O, K, TA,) &c.; (S, O, TA;) and as it is allowable for فَعَلٌ to have for its plural فُعْلٌ, as in the instance of أَسَدٌ and أُسْدٌ, so too فُعْلٌ may have for its plural فُعْلٌ. (S, O, K, TA.)
فُلْكِىٌّ is a dialect var. of فُلْكٌ; and Abu-d-Dardà read, [in the Qur'an, 10:23,] كُنْتُمْ فِى الْفُلْكِىِّ [When ye are in the ships; where others read فى الفُلْكِ; and where the context shows that the plural meaning is intended]. (IJ, TA.)
2.
[It may also be a plural of the word next following].