imam
Americannoun
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imams
plural
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the officiating priest of a mosque.
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the title for a Muslim religious leader or chief.
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one of a succession of seven or twelve religious leaders, believed to be divinely inspired, of the Shiʿites.
noun
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a leader of congregational prayer in a mosque
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a caliph, as leader of a Muslim community
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an honorific title applied to eminent doctors of Islam, such as the founders of the orthodox schools
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any of a succession of either seven or twelve religious leaders of the Shiites, regarded by their followers as divinely inspired
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of imam
First recorded in 1605–15, imam is from the Arabic word imām leader, guide
Explanation
An imam is a Muslim religious leader. If you’re curious about a mosque, go talk to the imam, the person who leads the prayers. For a Sunni Muslim, the imam is a religious leader who provides community service and sometimes counseling. To a Shi'a Muslim, an imam is even more important—he is one of the central religious figures. Shi'a believe that God has chosen the imam to be a "perfect example" to everyone else and that an imam is free from sin. The literal meaning of imam in Arabic is "one who proceeds," from amma, "to go before."
Vocabulary lists containing imam
I Am Malala
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English Words Derived from Arabic
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World Religions
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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.
See Examples For:
He came from a modest background: His father was a schoolteacher and an imam at a local mosque.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Another imam at the centre, Dr Saad Eldegewi, said the centre supports the entire community, not just Muslims.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
“We lost three pillars of our community,” the imam, or leader of the mosque, Taha Hassane, said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
Its imam regularly participated in interfaith prayers alongside the pastor of a local Protestant church.
From Barron's ● May 19, 2026
Baba isn’t about to take a request from the imam lightly.
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
Kano imams also insist on medical checks for intending couples.
From Barron's ● Feb. 13, 2026
Previously, Zaidi imams had earned leadership via their standing as scholars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025
That only intensified the fears of Amsterdam's Jewish community, although local imams and other members of the Muslim community took part in the commemorations.
From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2024
The pavilion is also a place for pastors, imams, rabbis and other spiritual leaders to exchange ideas about how to guide people through the effects of climate change.
From New York Times ● Dec. 5, 2023
The various doubts of the imams were comforting, and drew her closer.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
