سَمَاءٌ

The higher, or upper, or highest, or uppermost, part of anything: [in this sense] masculine (M.)

[In its predominant acceptation,] a word of well-known meaning; (K, TA;) i. e. (TA) [The sky, or heaven;] the canopy of the earth: (M, Msb, TA:) in this sense (M, Msb) masculine and feminine; (IAmb, S, M, Msb, K; *) sometimes feminine; (M;) rarely so, and thus as having the next but one of the significations here following: (Fr, Msb:) Az says that it is feminine because it is plural [or coll. gen. n.] of سَمَاءَةٌ: (TA:) or it is as though it were plural of ↓ سَمَاوَةٌ, [or rather its coll. gen. n.,] like as سَحَابٌ is of سَحَابَةٌ: (Msb, TA:) Er-Rághib says that the سَمَاء as opposed to the أَرْض is feminine, and sometimes masculine; and is used as a singular and as a plural; as the latter in the Qur'an, 2:27 [where it is shown to apply to seven heavens]; and that it is like نَخْلٌ and شَجَرٌ and other [coll.] gen. ns.: (TA:) in this sense (M) the plural is أَسْمِيَةٌ [a plural of pauc.] (S, M, K) and سُمِىٌّ, (M, K,) the latter [originally سُمُوىٌ] of the measure فُعُولٌ, and both [also] pls. of سَمَاءٌ in another sense, mentioned in what follows, (TA,) and سَمَاوَاتٌ or سَمٰوَاتٌ, (S, M, Msb, K,) and according to the K, [in which all of these are mentioned as though pls. of سَمَاءٌ in all its senses,] ↓ سَمًا, [in the CK سُمًا,] but in the M سَمَاءٌ [like the singular, as mentioned above], where it is said that it must be a plural in the Qur'an, 2:27 for the reason already stated, as though plural of سَمَاءَةٌ or سَمَاوَةٌ; (TA;) and a poet assigns to سَمَاءٌ the anomalous plural سَمَاءٍ, by his saying,

سَمَاءُ الْإِلٰهِ فَوْقَ سَبْعِ سَمَايءِيَا

[The heaven of God, above seven heavens]: (S, M:) the diminutive is ↓ سُمّيَّةٌ. (Ham p. 452.)

And Any canopy, or covering over-head, of a person. (S, Msb, * TA.)

And hence, (S, TA,) The ceiling, or roof, (S, Msb, K, TA,) of a house, or chamber, or tent, (S, K, TA,) and of anything; (K, TA;) in this sense masculine; (Msb, TA;) and ↓ سَمَاوَةٌ also has this meaning. (S.)

And The رِوَاق, (M, K,) i. e. the شُقَّة [or oblong piece of cloth] that is beneath the upper, or uppermost, شُقَّةٌ, (M,) of a بَيْت [or tent]; (M, K;) in which sense it is feminine, and sometimes masculine; (M;) as also ↓ سَمَاوَةٌ; (M, K;) [and so, apparently, ↓ سِمَايَةٌ; for] one says, أَصْلَحَ سِمَايَتَهُ, with kesr, [He repaired his سماية,] meaning, his سَمَاوَة. (TA.)

And The clouds; (Zj, K;) because of their height: (Zj, TA:) or a cloud. (Msb.)

And Rain; (S, M, Msb, K;) because it comes forth from the سَمَاء [i. e. sky or clouds]: (TA:) or a good rain (مَطْرَةٌ جَيِّدَةٌ): (K, TA:) or a new rain (مَطْرَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ): (T, TA:) or, as some say, rain that has not fallen upon the earth; so called in consideration of what has been said above [of its meaning the “ clouds ” &c.]: (Er-Rághib, TA:) [but] one says, مَا زِلْنَا نَطَأُ السَّمَاءَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَاكُمْ [We ceased not to tread upon the rain until we came to you]: (S, TA:) applied to rain, it is masculine, and feminine also because of its connexion with the سَمَاء that canopies the earth; (M;) or it is feminine, as meaning سَحَابَةٌ: (Msb:) the plural [of mult.] is سُمِىٌّ (S, M, Msb, TA) and [of pauc.] أَسْمِيَةٌ. (S, TA.) بَنُو مَاءِ السَّمَاءِ is an appellation of The Arabs; [signifying the sons of the water of the heaven;] because of their keeping much to the deserts which are the places of the falling of rain [by means of which they subsist]: or by مَاء السماء is meant Zemzem, which God made to well forth for the Arabs, who are therefore like the sons thereof. (TA.)

[Hence, apparently, as being likened to rain by reason of the swiftness of his running,] a certain horse, (M, K,) belonging to Sakhr the brother of El-Khansà, (M,) was named السَّمَاءُ. (M, K.)

[Hence, likewise, as being likened to rain, (assumed tropical:) Bounty.] One says, أَصَابَنِى بِرَشْحَةٍ مِنْ سَمَايءِهِ (assumed tropical:) [He gave me a gift from his store of bounty]. (A in article رشح.)

Also (assumed tropical:) Herbage; because produced by the rain, which is thus called. (TA.)

And The back of a horse; (S, Msb, K;) because of its height: coupled with [its opposite] أَرْضٌ [q. v.]. (S, TA.)

And of a sandal, [in like manner opposed to أَرْضٌ,] The upper part [of the sole, i. e. the upper surface thereof], upon which the foot is placed. (M.)

-A2- See also سَمَاوَةٌ.