qadam

Qadam, written in Arabic script as قدم, is a term used in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu that primarily means "foot" or "step." It derives from the Semitic root Q-D-M, which conveys the sense of moving forward or advancing, and appears in related forms that denote going ahead. As a noun, qadam denotes a single foot or a single step and is used in both literal and figurative language.

In everyday speech, qadam describes physical movement and can appear in idioms that express progress, initiation, or action. In poetry and religious or philosophical contexts, the word is often employed to evoke movement, journey, or stepping into a new phase of life or endeavor.

In Urdu and Persian, qadam retains the same range of meanings and is encountered in expressions such as taking a step forward or setting foot in a place. It also occurs as a given name or surname in some communities, reflecting its association with movement, progress, or beginning a journey.

Variant spellings of qadam include qadâm, kadam, or qadum, depending on transliteration conventions; the underlying Arabic script is قدم. Beyond its lexical sense, the term is not tied to a single modern institution or concept but functions as a basic word used across languages that borrow from Arabic.