hijab
Americannoun
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a traditional scarf worn by Muslim women to cover the hair and neck and sometimes the face.
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the traditional dress code of Muslim women, calling for the covering of the entire body except the face, hands, and feet.
to observe the hijab.
noun
Etymology
Origin of hijab
First recorded in 1885–90; from Arabic ḥijāb “veil, cover, curtain,” from ḥajaba “to cover”
Explanation
A hijab is a head covering scarf that some Muslim women wear in public. For many such women, the hijab signifies both modesty and privacy. In some cases, the hijab is worn by a woman when she's with men who aren't in her own family. For other Muslims, it's equally important to wear a hijab in the presence of non-Muslims, including women. Still other practicing Muslims choose not to wear a hijab at all. The word hijab is Persian, from the Arabic ḥajaba, or "veil."
Vocabulary lists containing hijab
Refugee
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Put a Lid On It: Hats, Hoods, and Other Headgear
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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.
He says he has barely spoken to his uncle since major protests in 2022 following the death in custody of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, who was accused of not wearing the compulsory hijab properly.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026
Free American women allowed themselves to say this to me, an Iranian who spent three years under forced hijab, in an Islamic Republic school.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
Influenced by Christianity, Judaism and other belief systems, Alawites celebrate Christmas, have no dietary restrictions and don’t require women to wear hijab, or head coverings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026
Shortly after Somaliland's recognition at the end of December, social media was flooded with photos of men and women displaying the Israeli flag, one of them even using it as a hijab.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
A girl from the Northeast team, wearing a hijab, was on his left.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
