Kaab
The ankle bone, and by extension whatever protrudes and rises — which is how a man's eminence and the name of the Kaʿba both come from one word.
- Root
- k-ʿ-b (ك-ع-ب)
- Gender
- Male
- Meaning
- The protruding ankle bone; by extension, eminence
- Origin
- Arabic
Meaning and root
From k-ʿ-b (ك-ع-ب). The *kaʿb* is the bone that protrudes at the joint of shin and foot, and *Lisān al-ʿArab* generalises it: the *kaʿb* of anything is the part that stands out and rises — the *kuʿūb* of a spear are its raised joints.
Bone, eminence, House
Because a *kaʿb* is what juts up, the word moved to height and honour: *aʿlā Allāhu kaʿbahu*, 'may God raise his kaʿb', means his standing, not his ankle. The same sense names the Kaʿba, which the lexicographers explain from its *takʿīb* — its being squared, prominent and raised above the ground. The bone, the honour and the House are one image in three places.
As an eponym
Kaʿb is among the oldest Arab names — Kaʿb ibn Luʾayy stands in the Qurashī line as the genealogists give it. Groups called Banī Kaʿb are recorded in more than one region and treated separately in the sources, so the nisba *al-Kaʿbī* identifies a name rather than a single lineage.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Kaʿba named from the same word as the name Kaʿb?
Yes — both come from k-ʿ-b, the sense of something that protrudes and rises. The lexicographers explain the Kaʿba's name from its being squared and raised.
What does 'aʿlā Allāhu kaʿbahu' mean?
'May God raise his kaʿb' — that is, his standing and honour. The word had already moved from the bone to eminence.
Sources
- ابن منظور، لسان العرب، 711هـ — مادة: كعب
- ابن حزم الأندلسي، جمهرة أنساب العرب، 456هـ — في كعب بن لؤي وفي تعدّد من سُمّي بكعب
Last reviewed: 2026-09-01