hamza

Definitions

1. A sign used in the written Arabic language representing a glottal stop. Hamza may appear as a stand-alone letter (ء (ʔ)) or most commonly diacritically over or under other letters, e.g. أ (ʔ) (over an alif [ا]), إ (ʔ) (under an alif), ؤ (ʔ) (over a wāw [و]) or ئ (ʔ) (over a dotless yāʾ [ى]). The exact seat of hamza is governed by an orthographic rule – the "seat of hamza rule".
2. A male given name from Arabic.
3. The Muslim Sahabi Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib.
4. A surname from Arabic.

Equivalents

Examples

“Written words such as Qurʼan (which in written Arabic uses a symbol know⟳ as hamza to indicate⟳ the glottal stop⟳) are rendered with an apostrophe.”

CEFR level