Parsee

American  

[pahr-see, pahr-see] / ˈpɑr si, pɑrˈsi /

Or Parsi

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.

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Parsee British  

/ 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

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Parsees or their religion

Other Word Forms

• Parseeism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Parsee

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

Example Sentences

Platt’s cast of characters includes Americans, Britons, Parsee Indians and Chinese, and he makes them come alive.

From Washington Post • Aug. 9, 2018

The Contractors were part of the tiny Parsee community in Western India privileged by the British.

From New York Times • Jun. 19, 2014

Earlier this year, he put together a collection of cartoons from the Mumbai satirical paper, titled "Wit and Wisdom: Pickings from the Parsee Punch."

From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2012

The Parsee," relates Mr. Lenz, "at once doubled.

From Time Magazine Archive

In shape it is a circular tower open at the top, not unlike the "Towers of Silence" which form the Parsee edifices near Bombay used for the disposal of the dead.

From The Story of Malta by Ballou, Maturin Murray