رِكَابٌ
1.
[Travelling-camels, used for riding; i. e.] camels (S, K, TA) upon which people journey; (S, TA;) i. q.
مَطِىٌّ: (Msb:) or camels fit for carrying: (Har p. 22:) it has no proper singular: (S:) the word used for the singular is رَاحِلَةٌ: (S, Msb, K:) or, as ISh says, in the “ Book of Camels, ” رِكَابٌ and عِيرٌ are applied to camels that go forth for corn (طَعَام) to be brought back upon them, both when they go forth and after they have come back: and the former term is applied also to camels upon which people journey to Mekkeh, on which
مَحَامِل
are borne: and hired [or other] camels that carry the goods and corn of merchants: but camels are not called عير, though bearing corn, [unless] if hired: [I insert the words “ or other ” and “ unless ” because it is further said,] عير are not those that bring corn for their owners; but these are called رِكَابٌ: (L, TA:) the plural is رُكُبٌ, (S, K,) according to A'Obeyd, (TA,) and رِكَابَاتٌ and رَكَايءِبُ; (K;) or, according to IAar, رُكُبٌ is not plural of رِكَابٌ; and others say that it is plural of
رَكُوبٌ, signifying any beast on which one rides, [an epithet] of the measure فَعُولٌ in the sense of the measure مَفْعُولٌ; (TA;) but called by ISd a subst.; (TA voce جَزُوزٌ;) and
رَكُوبَةٌ is a more special term than رَكُوبٌ. (TA in the present article)
2.