أبابيل

Etymology
Natively derived from pertaining to great bundles or collections, by extension camel herding and in general flocks, bevies, and droves. The plural pattern is rare, but attested in other examples such as  and. Associated connotations of putting into commotion as well as scattered or disunited separate groups or waves connects it also to.


 * Connection to, comparing 🇨🇬, also 🇨🇬, 🇨🇬 and 🇨🇬, and native . This goes further back to a form, having cognates in 🇨🇬 and 🇨🇬, all denoting specifically doves or turtle-doves. All terms are identifications of a bird or bird type, and not convincingly semantically fitting as the adjective used in the Quranic example.


 * By comparison to the double-pluralization of to  to, perhaps a double-plural of  or a related form.  Birds sent "like a myriad of Babylonians", perhaps likening the coming of the destructive birds upon God's enemies, to the similar Biblical function of God sending Babylon as agents to punish Israel.

Adjective

 * 1) successive, in waves, in droves, flock after flock
 * 2) many, numerous
 * 3) flocks, companies, divisions
 * 4) as a myriad of Babylonians numerous, destructive, agents of divine retribution
 * 1) flocks, companies, divisions
 * 2) as a myriad of Babylonians numerous, destructive, agents of divine retribution