مَلَاثٌ
1.
[A place of refuge; a refuge]. [You say,] إِنَّهُ لَنِعْمَ المَلَاثُ لِلضِّيفَانِ
Verily he is an excellent refuge for guests. (TA.)
2.
مَلَاثٌ (S, K) and
مِلْوَثٌ (K) (tropical:) One who is a refuge to others; a noble chief; (TA;) a nobleman; (Ks, S, K;) whom others compass, and go round about: (Ks, S:) or so called because the command is [as it were] bound round him; i. e., because affairs are connected with him: (TA:) plural مَلَاوِثُ and مَلَاوِثَةٌ and مَلَاوِيثُ: (S, K:) the last used by poetic licence. (ISd.)