Mavhum

Mavhum is a term found in Arabic-derived linguistic and legal traditions that denotes the implied or understood meaning behind a statement—the concept that is inferred rather than directly stated. In scholarly writing from Urdu, Persian, and Arabic sources, the word usually appears as mafhum, with mavhum representing a transliteration variant used in some regional styles.

Etymology and usage notes: The word derives from the Arabic root f-h-m, meaning to understand. Mafhum (or mavhum) carries the sense of “the understood” or “the concept,” and is used to refer to content that is implied by a text as opposed to what is expressly written. This distinction between explicit wording and implied meaning is a common focus in linguistic interpretation, jurisprudence, and literary analysis.

Applications: In linguistics and philosophy, mafhum is employed to analyze how readers derive additional meaning from context, phrasing, and structure. In jurisprudence and legal theory, the concept helps scholars examine how rules may extend beyond their literal terms through implied intentions, consequences, or logical inferences.

Overview: Mafhum remains a standard term in discussions of meaning and inference within Arabic, Persian, and Urdu scholarship. It highlights how interpretation often relies on what is not said as much as what is said, shaping how texts are understood and applied.

See also: Mafhum (concept); Implication; Inference.