Hazara

American  

[huh-zahr-uh] / həˈzɑr ə /

noun

plural

Hazara, Hazaras

1. an Iranian ethnolinguistic group in central Afghanistan, north Pakistan, and Iran, most of whom are Shiʿite Muslims.

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Etymology

Origin of Hazara

From Persian hazār “a thousand, a military unit of a thousand soldiers,” from Middle Persian

Example Sentences

The city grabbed international attention in 2001, when the Sunni Pashtun Taliban authorities destroyed two large Buddha statues cherished by the predominantly Shia Hazara community in the region.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

When the Taliban were last in power from 1996-2001, Hazara fighters fought against them.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2023

For example, I advocate on behalf of a group of Hazara women who previously worked in the security sector.

From Slate • Aug. 23, 2023

The Hazara Express was on its way from Karachi to Rawalpindi when 10 cars derailed near the Sarhari railway station off Nawabshah, said senior railway officer Mahmoodur Rehman Lakho.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2023

“He was married once before, to a Hazara woman from the Jaghori area. This was long before you were born. They were mar­ried for three years.”

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini