houri

[hoor-ee, houuhr-ee, hou-uh-ree]

noun

plural

houris 

1. one of the beautiful virgins provided in paradise for all faithful Muslims.

houri

/ ˈhʊərɪ /

noun

1. (in Muslim belief) any of the nymphs of Paradise

2. any alluring woman

Word History and Origins

Origin of houri¹

1730–40; < French < Persian hūrī < Arabic ḥūr plural of ḥaurāʾ gazelle-eyed (woman)

Word History and Origins

Origin of houri¹

C18: from French, from Persian hūri, from Arabic hūr, plural of haurā' woman with dark eyes

Example Sentences

“Is she original? Is she piquant? I would not exchange this one little English girl for the Grand Turk’s whole seraglio, gazelle-eyes, houri forms, and all!”

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Women seem to surround and attend to him as the houris do to the devout immortals in Islam’s paradise.

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“The riders came into the hall, disarmed and removed their riding gear, revealing themselves as women more beautiful than the houris of Paradise.”

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Hurriya is the Arabic word for “freedom,” and is the plural of houri, the dark-eyed virgins that suicide bombers are promised in the afterlife.

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These celestial virgins we commonly call houris, but learned and accurate Mr-Lane terms them hooreeyehs, vividly suggesting that the Muslim saints burst into rapturous and prolonged hoorays on first perceiving them.

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