dervish

American

[dur-vish] / ˈdɜr vɪʃ /

noun

a member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, as the Sufis, some of which carry on ecstatic observances, such as energetic dancing and whirling or vociferous chanting or shouting.

dervish British

/ ˈdɜːvɪʃ /

noun

a member of any of various Muslim orders of ascetics, some of which ( whirling dervishes ) are noted for a frenzied, ecstatic, whirling dance

"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

Other Word Forms

dervish-like adjective

Etymology

Origin of dervish

1575–85; < Turkish < Persian darvīsh poor man, beggar

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.

The whirling Sufi dervishes have known for ages that dance is spiritual.

From Los Angeles Times

One photo made front pages around the world: a lone protester dressed as a whirling dervish - in traditional costume plus gas mask – being pepper-sprayed by the police.

From BBC

His Sale team-mate Ben Curry, winning his 11th cap, was a dervish, winning turnovers and collisions alike.

From BBC

The Liverpool teenager, on loan at Middlesbrough, was a whirling dervish, a human blur taking the fight to Croatia.

From BBC

Soon the dervish released his body to the motion.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023