Sunni

[soon-ee]

noun

Islam.

1. Also called Sunnite. a member of one of the two great religious divisions of Islam, regarding the first four caliphs as legitimate successors of Muhammad and stressing the importance of Sunna as a basis for law.

2. (used with a plural verb),  the Sunni Muslims.

Sunni

/ ˈsʌnɪ /

noun

1. one of the two main branches of orthodox Islam (the other being the Shiah), consisting of those who acknowledge the authority of the Sunna

2. another term for Sunnite

Other Word Forms

• Sunnism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sunni¹

1620–30; < Arabic sunnī, derivative of sunnah Sunna

Example Sentences

It is, and has been since its founding about a century ago, the ideological wellspring of modern Sunni Islamism.

From Los Angeles Times

Syria’s new government sent troops to quell fighting between the Druze religious minority and Sunni Muslim tribes.

From Los Angeles Times

The fighting in Sweida, the southern province bordering Jordan and near Israel, began last week between militiamen from the Druze religious minority and Sunni Muslim tribes.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile 354 government security personnel and 21 Sunni Bedouin were also killed, three of them civilians who it said were "summarily executed by Druze fighters".

From BBC

"We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours," the envoy said.

From BBC