hajj
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What is hajj? Hajj refers to the pilgrimage to Mecca that every adult Muslim is supposed make at least once in their lifetime. Mecca is a city in Saudi Arabia that is believed to be the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and is considered the spiritual center of Islam. The specific destination of the hajj is the Kaaba, a cube-shaped building in Mecca that is considered Islam’s holiest site. Hajj is one of the five Pillars of Islam, which together form the basis for the practice of the Islamic faith. Muslims believe that those who are able to make the hajj (meaning those who are physically and financially able) are required to make the trip at least once in their lives. The plural of hajj is hajjes. Hajj is sometimes spelled haj or hadj. A person who has completed the pilgrimage can be called a hajji (or haji or hadji).
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of hajj
First recorded in 1665–75, hajj is from the Arabic word ḥajj “pilgrimage”
Explanation
The hajj is a pilgrimage, or religious trip, that Muslims try to make at some point in their lives. The hajj is taken to the city of Mecca, the holiest site of Islam. The hajj is one of the Pillars of Islam — acts that Muslims consider mandatory — which include faith, prayer, charity, and fasting. Unless they are financially or physically unable to make the trip, Muslims are expected to make the hajj at least once in their lives. The hajj is the world's biggest annual gathering, and it demonstrates Muslim faith and solidarity. The Arabic hajj comes from hajja, "he went on a pilgrimage."
Vocabulary lists containing hajj
World Religions
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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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.
"I can't believe I've finished the hajj rituals," Iraqi pilgrim Adnan Hamad, 58, told AFP, as his daughters in white robes, or abayas, looked on.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
Muslim faithful took part in the climactic ritual of the annual hajj pilgrimage on Wednesday, symbolically stoning the devil near Mecca.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
More than 1.7 million people are taking part in the hajj this year.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
With temperatures hitting 45C in Mecca this week, Saudi health workers have increasingly relied on drones to supply a vast array of medical clinics treating heat-stressed pilgrims during the hajj.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
In his album I find a photo of him on hajj with his hair shaved, as is typical of pilgrims.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
