---
title: "قِصَاص (qiṣāṣ) meaning in Arabic: retribution, retaliation"
description: "قِصَاص (qiṣāṣ) means “retribution, retaliation”. Root ق·ص·ص, pattern فِعَال, level C1: forms, related words and how to read it letter by letter, from the Fasaha dictionary."
canonical: "https://fasaha.app/w/qisas"
language: "en"
direction: "ltr"
---

# قِصَاص

*qiṣāṣ* · **retribution, retaliation**

قِصَاص (qiṣāṣ) is an Arabic noun meaning “retribution, retaliation”. It is built on the root ق·ص·ص in the pattern فِعَال. Fasaha’s library first uses it at level C1.

- Part of speech: Noun
- Root: ق·ص·ص
- Pattern: فِعَال
- Level: C1

## Words from the root ق·ص·ص

Arabic builds families of words on one root. These share the root ق·ص·ص with قِصَاص; each opens its own entry.

- [قِصَّة](https://fasaha.app/w/qissa) — qiṣṣa, story, tale (A1)
- [قَصَّ](https://fasaha.app/w/qassa) — qaṣṣa, to narrate; to cut (B1)
- [قَصَص](https://fasaha.app/w/qasas) — qaṣaṣ, stories; narrative (B1)
- [قَاصّ](https://fasaha.app/w/qass) — qāṣṣ, storyteller (B2)
- [مِقَصّ](https://fasaha.app/w/miqass) — miqaṣṣ, scissors (A2)
- [قُصَاصَة](https://fasaha.app/w/qusasa) — quṣāṣa, clipping, snippet (C1)

## How to read قِصَاص, letter by letter

4 letters, read from right to left. The marks above and below the letters are the short vowels.

- ق — قاف (qāf): a deep k from the back of the throat
- ص — صاد (ṣād): an emphatic s, with a full mouth
- ا — ألف (ʾalif): a long a, or a seat for hamza
- ص — صاد (ṣād): an emphatic s, with a full mouth

## Questions about قِصَاص

### What is the root of قِصَاص?

The root of قِصَاص is ق·ص·ص. Words built on the same root include قِصَّة (story, tale), قَصَّ (to narrate; to cut), قَصَص (stories; narrative), قَاصّ (storyteller).

### What pattern does قِصَاص follow?

قِصَاص follows the pattern فِعَال, with the root letters ق·ص·ص poured into it.

### What level is قِصَاص?

Fasaha first uses قِصَاص at level C1, on a scale from A0 (first words) to C2 (classical prose).


[All words in the Fasaha dictionary](https://fasaha.app/w)