Parsee

or Par·si

[ pahr-see, pahr-see ]

noun

1. an Indian Zoroastrian descended from Persian Zoroastrians who went to India in the 7th and 8th centuries to escape Muslim persecution.
2. the Middle Persian dialect of the Parsee scriptures.

Parsee

/ ˈpɑːsiː /

noun

1. an adherent of a monotheistic religion of Zoroastrian origin, the practitioners of which were driven out of Persia by the Muslims in the eighth century ad . It is now found chiefly in western India

adjective

1. of or relating to the Parsees or their religion

Derived Forms

• ˈParseeˌism, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Parsee¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Persian Pārsī “a Persian; Persian language,” equivalent to Pārs Persia (from Old Persian Pārsā) + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of Parsee¹

C17: from Persian Pārsī a Persian, from Old Persian Pārsa Persia