لون

Core meaning

Color, most often named in its variety, as a sign of created diversity.

Uses

1. لَوْن → "color" : the color of a thing, asked for in order to recognize it.

   • «يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا» — "that He make clear to us her color" (2:69)

2. مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ → "of varied colors" : the formula that qualifies one same thing in the diversity of its colors.

   • «شَرَابٌۭ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ» — "a drink of varied colors" (16:69)
   • «ثَمَرَٰتٍۢ مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَٰنُهَا» — "fruits of varying colors" (35:27)

3. أَلْوَٰن → "colors" : the colors of humans, counted among the signs.

   • «وَٱخْتِلَٰفُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَٰنِكُمْ» — "and the variety of your tongues and your colors" (30:22)

Evidence from the text

In 2:69, color is a detail asked about the cow: a trait that distinguishes it. Everywhere else, the plural أَلْوَٰن goes with variety: the formula مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ qualifies the produce of the earth (16:13, 39:21), honey (16:69), fruits and mountains (35:27), humans, living beings and cattle (35:28).

In 30:22, the variety of human colors is set beside that of tongues, and both among the signs, with the creation of the heavens and the earth.

Distinctions

• خلف — variety itself, which لون makes visible.