Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

burka

American  
[boor-kuh, bur-] / ˈbʊər kə, ˈbɜr- /
Also burqa,

noun

  1. a loose garment covering the entire body and having a veiled opening for the eyes, worn by Muslim women.


burka British  
/ ˈbɜːkə /

noun

  1. a variant spelling of burqa

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of burka

1830–40; < Urdu burgaʿ < dialectal Arabic burqaʿ

Vocabulary lists containing burka

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.

And she has twice worn a burka in the chamber to press for a ban on the garment.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Shortly after other lawmakers blocked her from introducing the bill on Monday, she returned wearing a black burka.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

She previously wore a burka to parliament in 2017, also calling for a national ban at the time.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

Pochin was previously criticised by Yusuf, who was party chairman at the time, for suggesting a ban on the burka during a speech in Parliament.

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2025

She tapped her foot and pulled back her burka, revealing flashing brown eyes under arched eyebrows.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "burka" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com