How to say "knowledge" in Arabic

The root family

ع-ل-م· knowing

Arabic's great knowledge root — science, teachers, flags, and the world itself. Hebrew's ע-ל-ם is a different root meaning "to hide" (נעלם, תעלומה), so there is no straight twin; Hebrew covers this ground with י-ד-ע and ל-מ-ד instead. Yet עולם and ʿālam are clearly the same word — many linguists hold that Arabic took ʿālam from Aramaic ʿālmā, so the world sneaks in through a side door.

• عِلْم ʿilmknowledge, science
• عَلِمَ ʿalimahe knew
• مُعَلِّم muʿallimteacher
• عَالَم ʿālamworldעוֹלָםworld — likely the same word via Aramaic
• تَعْلِيم taʿlīmeducation, instruction
• عَلَم ʿalamflag, banner

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