وَزِيرٌ

i. q. مُوَازِرٌ [One who bears a burden or burdens with another: or one who aids, assists or helps, and strengthens, another: see 3:] (S, A, K:) like as أَكِيلٌ signifies i. q. مُوءَاكِلٌ, (S,) and جَلِيسٌ i. q. مُجَالِسٌ. (A.)

(tropical:) [A vicegerent of a king or the like: or a confidential minister of state: in English commonly written vizier, in imitation of the Turkish pronunciation; but properly, wezeer:] the familiar of the king, who bears his master's burden, and aids him by his counsel: (K:) or the وزير of the king is the person who bears with him (يُوَازِرُهُ, i. e. يُحَامِلُهُ,) the burdens of the regal office: not from مُوَازَرَةٌ, signifying the “ act of aiding or the like, ” because the و in this latter word is substituted for ء, and the derivative from it of the measure فَعِيلٌ is أَزِيرٌ: (A:) ISd says, some hold that the و in وزير is substituted for ء; but Abu-l-'Abbás says, that this is not agreeable with analogy; for the substitution of ء for و in a word of this measure is rare, and that of و for ء is more strange: (TA:) the وزير is so called because he bears for the king the burden of administration: (S, * Msb:) or it is from ↓ وَزَرٌ, signifying “ a mountain to which one has recourse to save himself from destruction: ” so the وزير of the khaleefeh is one upon whose counsel the khaleefeh relies in his affairs, and to whom he betakes himself for refuge or safety: (Aboo-Is-hák, TA:) plural وُزَرَاءُ (A, Msb, K) and أَوْزَارٌ; (A, K;) the latter like أَشْرَافٌ and أَيْتَامٌ, (A, TA,) pls. of شَرِيفٌ and يَتِيمٌ. (TA.)