imam
[ ih-mahm ]
/ ɪˈmɑm /
noun Islam.
the officiating priest of a mosque.
the title for a Muslim religious leader or chief.
one of a succession of seven or twelve religious leaders, believed to be divinely inspired, of the Shiʿites.
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Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Also i·maum [ih-mahm, ih-mawm]. /ɪˈmɑm, ɪˈmɔm/.
Origin of imam
First recorded in 1605–15, imam is from the Arabic word imām leader, guide
OTHER WORDS FROM imam
i·mam·ship, nounWords nearby imam
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for imam
British Dictionary definitions for imam
imam
imaum (ɪˈmɑːm, ɪˈmɔːm)
/ (ɪˈmɑːm) /
noun Islam
a leader of congregational prayer in a mosque
a caliph, as leader of a Muslim community
an honorific title applied to eminent doctors of Islam, such as the founders of the orthodox schools
any of a succession of either seven or twelve religious leaders of the Shiites, regarded by their followers as divinely inspired
Word Origin for imam
C17: from Arabic: leader, from amma he guided
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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