How to say "high" in Arabic
CognateMeaninghigh
Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic
عَالِي
ʿālīעאלי
عالي
Hebrew · Modern Hebrew
גבוה
gavoaگَاڤُوَا
How the two words are related
Cognate
Same Semitic root, same meaning — you already know this word.
Arabic root
ع-ل-وHebrew root
ע-ל-הRoot ʿ-l-w is the same as Hebrew ע-ל-ה, 'to go up' — kin to עליון ('supreme, uppermost') and עלייה ('ascent', the word for immigrating to Israel). The everyday Hebrew word for 'high' is gavoah, but the cognate survives in these loftier senses. Formal MSA spells the word عَالٍ; everyday speech says ʿālī.
Related Hebrew word:עליוןelyonإِلْيُون
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In a phrase
جَبَل عَالِي
jabal ʿālīג'בל עאליa high mountain
Feminine
عَالِيَة
ʿāliyaעאליה