Moorish
adjective
of or relating to the Moors, a Muslim people of NW Africa.
Moorish
American
[moor-ish]
/ ˈmʊər ɪʃ /
adjective
-
of or relating to the Moors, a Muslim people of NW Africa.
-
in the style of the Moors, as architecture or decoration.
moorish
British
/ ˈmʊərɪʃ, ˈmɔː- /
adjective
-
of or relating to the Moors
-
denoting the style of architecture used in Spain from the 13th to 16th century, characterized by the horseshoe arch
Etymology
Origin of Moorish
First recorded in 1400–50, Moorish is from the late Middle English word morys. See Moor, -ish 1
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.
She was raised by her mother, the singer Lisa Moorish.
From BBC • Oct. 11, 2025
Drought-stricken farmers in Spain have reclaimed medieval Moorish irrigation technology.
From Salon • Feb. 26, 2024
Teams of horsemen dressed as Spanish, Moorish, African and Indigenous warriors engage in mock battles with spears and lances.
From New York Times • Jan. 16, 2024
Euric was smitten but suspicious, as Gaya belonged to a rebel group bent on driving out their Moorish conquerors.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 9, 2023
Inside, the former McPherson Hall had been redecorated according to a Moorish theme.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
