عنکبوت
عنکبوت (ankabut) means spider in Persian. Borrowed from Arabic عنكبوت, it is the standard word in both formal and everyday speech, and it lends its name to the Quran’s 29th chapter.
Glossary
مورچه
مورچه (murche) means ant in Persian. A pure Persian word of ancient Iranian origin, it appears in proverbs, fables, and everyday speech as a symbol of patience, hard work, and collective effort.
پشه
پشه (pashe) is the Persian word for mosquito. Pure Persian in origin, it is one of the most common insect words in everyday speech and appears in expressions about small but persistent annoyances.
زنبور
زنبور (zanbur) means bee or wasp in Persian. This ancient Iranian word covers both stinging insects and appears in everyday speech, poetry, and proverbs about hard work and pain.
عقرب
عقرب (aqrab) means scorpion in Persian. It is a direct loanword from Arabic and is also the Arabic word for Scorpio, the zodiac sign, used identically in Persian.
مارمولک
مارمولک (mârmulak) means lizard in Persian. The word is a compound built on mâr (snake, pure Persian) combined with a suffix of uncertain but possibly Turkic origin.
قورباغه
قورباغه (ghurbâghe) means frog in Persian. The word is a Turkic loanword, from the Turkish kurbağa, and is the standard term used across Iran in all registers.
لاکپشت
لاکپشت (lâk-posht) means turtle or tortoise in Persian. The word is a compound: lâk (shell, from Sanskrit via Indian languages) plus posht (back, pure Persian).
مار
مار (mâr) is the Persian word for snake. One of the oldest words in the language, it traces back to Avestan and appears in mythology, proverbs, and daily speech.
کبوتر
کبوتر (kabutar) means pigeon or dove in Persian. A familiar bird across Iran, it appears in classical poetry, urban squares, and everyday speech.