abaya
Americannoun
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a coarse, felted fabric woven of camel's or goat's hair.
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a loose, sleeveless outer garment made of this fabric or of silk, worn by Arabs.
noun
Etymology
Origin of abaya
First recorded in 1805–15; from Arabic ʿabā'(ah)
Vocabulary lists containing abaya
The Middle East and Central Asia - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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The Middle East and Central Asia - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I love Israel so much," she said, smiling in her head-to-toe black abaya.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
Some post photos of themselves in traditional Saudi dress: for men a thobe and headdress, for women an abaya and headscarf.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026
“The abaya doesn’t make a woman religious. The important thing is to feel good about who you are.”
From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2024
In fact, the abaya is just a new iteration of a debate that goes back more than 30 years.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2023
I finish buttoning up the abaya and wait as Sausun does some complicated thing with the head scarf portion of the outfit.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
