سَرِىٌّ

, as an epithet applied to a man, (S, M, K, &c.,) may be from اِسْتَرَيْتُ الشَّىْءَ “ I chose, or selected, the thing, ” or from السَّرَاةُ “ the higher, or highest, part ” of a thing, (Ham p. 337,) or, according to Er-Rághib, from سَرَوْتُ الثَّوْبَ عَنِّى “ I pulled off the garment from me, ” (TA, [in which this derivation is said to be good, but I think it far-fetched,]) Possessing liberality, bountifulness, munificence, or generosity, combined with manliness, or manly virtue: (S, Mgh:) or possessing manliness, or manly virtue, (M, K,) and, (M,) or combined with, (K,) high or elevated rank or condition, nobility, dignity, honour, or glory: (M, K:) or i. q. رَيءِيسٌ [meaning a chief, or person high in rank or condition]: (Msb:) [or a generous and manly or noble person:] feminine with ة: (M, K:) and مَسْرَوَانٌ signifies the same, applied to a man; and مَسْرَوَانَةٌ applied to a woman: (M:) the plural of سَرِىٌّ is أَسْرِيَاءُ and سُرَوَاءُ (Lh, M, K) and سُرًى, (Az, K,) which is anomalous, (TA,) and سَرَاةٌ, (T, S, Mgh, * Msb,) [originally سَرَوَةٌ,] which is [also] anomalous, (T, TA,) the only instance of فَعَلَةٌ as the measure of a plural of a word of the measure فَعِيلٌ, (S, Msb,) or it is a quasi-plural n., (Sb, M, K,) and its plural is سَرَوَاتٌ; (S, M, Mgh, * K;) meaning سَادَاتٌ [or chiefs, &c.]; (Mgh); and سُرَاةٌ, with damm, [originally سُرَوَةٌ,] is a dialect var. of سَرَاةٌ, as plural [or quasi-plural n.] of سَرِىٌّ: (IAth, TA:) the plural of سَرِيَّةٌ is سَرِيَّاتٌ and سَرَايَا. (M, K.) Also Chosen, or choice, or select: (M:) what is good of anything; plural [or quasi-plural n.] سَرَاةٌ: (Ham p. 337:) the best, (Msb, TA, and Har p. 56,) and in like manner سَرَاةٌ [as a plural]; (M, Msb, TA, and Ham p. 57, and Har ubi suprà;) the former, of men, (Har ubi suprà,) and of camels; (S;) and the latter, of men, (S, TA, and Ham ubi suprà, and Har,) and of cattle or camels and the like, (S, M, TA,) as also the former. (TA.)