Bahaʾi

or Ba·ha·i, Ba·hā·ʾī

[ buh-hah-ee, -hahy ]

noun

, plural Ba·ha·ʾis.

1. a religion founded in Iran in 1863 by Husayn ʿAlī (called Bahaullah), teaching the essential worth of all religions, the unity of all peoples, and the equality of the sexes.
2. an adherent of Bahaʾi.

adjective

1. of or relating to Bahaʾi or Bahaʾis.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bahaʾi¹

First recorded in 1885–90; from Persian, from Arabic bahāʾ (Allāh) Bahaullah, literally, “splendor (of God”) + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin