[A writer; a scribe; a secretary]: plural كَاتِبُونَ and كُتَّابٌ and كَتَبَةٌ. (S, K.)
2.
A learned man (S, K) was so called by the Arabs, (IAar,) because, in general, he who knew the art of writing was possessed of science and knowledge; and writers among them were few. (TA.)