kiblah

[ kib-luh ]

/ ˈkɪb lə /

noun Islam.

qibla.

Nearby words

Also keblah, kib·la.

Origin of kiblah

First recorded in 1730–40, kiblah is from the Arabic word qiblah

qibla

or qib·lah

[ kib-luh ]

/ ˈkɪb lə /

noun Islam.

the point toward which Muslims turn to pray, especially the Kaʿba, or House of God, at Mecca.

Often kib·la, kib·lah.

Origin of qibla

From the Arabic word qiblah

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for kibla

The sheik squats in the kibla or niche, and we sit on chairs ranged round the wall.
Forty Thousand Miles Over Land and Water|Lady (Ethel Gwendoline [Moffatt]) Vincent
He described the visit of the French pilgrims to this spot—their Kibla—as most affecting.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction|Various
The Kibla in this mosque is a picturesque domed structure higher than the rest of the building.
Architecture|Thomas Roger Smith

British Dictionary definitions for kibla

qibla

/ (ˈkɪblə) /

noun

a variant of kiblah

kiblah

kibla

/ (ˈkɪblɑː) /

noun

Islam the direction of Mecca, to which Muslims turn in prayer, indicated in mosques by a niche (mihrab) in the wall

Word Origin for kiblah

C18: from Arabic qíblah that which is placed opposite; related to qabala to be opposite

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012