تُبَّعٌ

An appellation of each of the Kings of El-Yemen (S, K) who possessed Himyer and Hadramowt, (K, TA,) and, as some add, Sebà; (TA;) but not otherwise; (K, TA;) and the like of this is said in the 'Eyn: (TA:) so called because they followed one another; whenever one died, another took his place, following him in his course of acting: (TA:) plural تَبَابِعَةٌ, (S, K,) with ة added as having the meaning of a rel. n.; [as though it were plural of تُبَّعِىٌّ, like as حَنَابِلَةٌ is plural of حَنْبَلِىٌّ;] erroneously written in some of the copies of the K تتابعة: (TA:) the تبابعة of Himyer were like the أَكَاسِرَة of the Persians and the قَيَاصِرَة of the Romans. (Lth.) In the Qur'an, 44:36, it is said in a tradition to mean a particular king, who was a believer, and whose people were unbelievers. (Zj.)

And hence, (TA,) A species of the يَعَاسِيب [or kings of the bees], (K,) the greatest and most beautiful thereof, whom the other bees follow: (TA:) plural تَبَابِيعُ; (K;) in the L, تَتَابِعُ [which is probably a mistranscription for تَبَابِعُ]. (TA.)

A species of طَيْر [which means any flying things, as well as birds; and may therefore, perhaps, be meant to indicate what next precedes]. (S.)

The shade, or shadow; (S, K;) because it follows the sun; as also تُبُّعٌ. (K.) A poet says, (S,) namely, Soadà El-Juhaneeyeh, (TA,) or Selmà El-Juhaneeyeh, (marginal note in a copy of the S,) bewailing her brother, As'ad,

يَرِدُ المِيَاهُ حَضِيرَةٌ وَنَفِيضَةً

وِرْدَ القَطَاةِ إِذَا اسْمَأَلَّ التُّبَّعُ

(S) [He comes to the waters when people are dwelling, or staying, there, (but see حَضِيرَةٌ,) and when no one is there, as the bird called katáh comes to water] when the shade has become contracted at mid-day: or, according to Aboo-Leylà, the meaning is, the shade of night; i. e., this man comes to the waters in the last part of the night, before any one: though it means also the shade of day-time: (TA:) or, according to Aboo-Sa'eed Ed- Dareer, the meaning here is [the star, or asterism, called] الدَّبَرَان; and this is very probably correct; for the bird above mentioned comes to the waters by night, and seldom by day; and hence the saying, أَدَلُّ مِنْ قَطَاةٍ. (Az, TA.) See تَابِعٌ.