Polysemy of Noun and Verb in the Theory of Radial Networks and its Application in the Qur'an

Analyzing polysemy in the theory of radial networks is according to prototype-based categorization. For this purpose, after determining the distinct meanings of a word as a category, its prominent member (prototype) is identified, and other members are displayed in a radial diagram around it. The current research, using the descriptive-analytical method, represents how polysemy analysis for lexical categories other than prepositions, and the application of that in the Qur'an, is performed. To draw the radial network of meaning, criteria for determining the prototype for these categories (reference meaning) have been introduced, which include: historically earliest attested meaning, predominance in the semantic network, predictability regarding other senses, having plausible cognitive antecedent, and relation to lived human experience. In the Qur'anic application, the root-oriented construction of Arabic words requires determining a prototype word for the root and considering the criterion of "brevity and lack of exact correspondence of weight and meaning". In the root "ẓhr", it is found that "ẓahr" is the prototypical word and "back of a person" is its reference meaning. Other words of this root having distinct meanings such as the invisible part, help, the back of animal, top, being obvious, going up, dominating, and awareness, have directly or indirectly been derived from it. dominating, and awareness, is taken from it.