mullah

[muhl-uh, moo l-uh, moo-luh]

noun

(in Islamic countries) a title of respect for a person who is learned in, teaches, or expounds the sacred law.
(in Turkey) a provincial judge.

Also mul·la, mollah.

Origin of mullah

1605–15; < Persian or Urdu mullā < Arabic mawlā; see maulvi

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for mullah

Contemporary Examples

Then, it was the arrest of a popular leader named Mullah Kareem without just cause that provided the spark.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley
Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman
November 15, 2014
The defense minister of this short-lived republic was Mullah Mustafa Barzani, the Iraqi-born father of Masoud Barzani.
Why Iran Fears Iraq's Kurds
IranWire
August 12, 2014
As the platoon was leaving the compound, they came across a local: Mullah Adahdad.
‘Kill Team’: The Documentary the Army Doesn’t Want You to See
Andrew Romano
July 26, 2014
And the third was Mullah Adahdad, 45, an unarmed cleric who was attacked with a grenade and gunned down by several soldiers.
‘Kill Team’: The Documentary the Army Doesn’t Want You to See
Andrew Romano
July 26, 2014
A mullah at Tehran University told Iranians on official TV that Jews use jinns, or genies, for espionage.
Iran Cleric: Jews Use Sorcery to Spy
IranWire
July 5, 2014

Historical Examples

No remarks on Somaliland would be complete without some mention of the Mullah.
Pan-Islam
George Wyman Bury
There was a beautiful little shrub which Chickango called the mullah.
In the Wilds of Africa
W.H.G. Kingston
"He's gone in," said Jim, watching the figure of the Mullah with the utmost eagerness.
In the grip of the Mullah
F. S. Brereton
If that is the case, we should be nearer the Mullah by nightfall.
In the grip of the Mullah
F. S. Brereton
You can see the mud huts which the Mullah's followers occupy, and there are his herds.
In the grip of the Mullah
F. S. Brereton

British Dictionary definitions for mullah

mullah

mulla mollah (ˈmɒlə)

noun

(formerly) a Muslim scholar, teacher, or religious leader: also used as a title of respect

Word Origin

C17: from Turkish molla, Persian and Hindi mulla, from Arabic mawlā master

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

Word Origin and History for mullah

n.

title given in Muslim lands to one learned in theology and sacred law, 1610s, from Turkish molla, Persian and Urdu mulla, from Arabic mawla "master," from waliya "reigned, governed."

mullah

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}mullah

Examples from the Web for mullah

Contemporary Examples

Then, it was the arrest of a popular leader named Mullah Kareem without just cause that provided the spark.

The defense minister of this short-lived republic was Mullah Mustafa Barzani, the Iraqi-born father of Masoud Barzani.

As the platoon was leaving the compound, they came across a local: Mullah Adahdad.

And the third was Mullah Adahdad, 45, an unarmed cleric who was attacked with a grenade and gunned down by several soldiers.

A mullah at Tehran University told Iranians on official TV that Jews use jinns, or genies, for espionage.

Historical Examples

No remarks on Somaliland would be complete without some mention of the Mullah.

There was a beautiful little shrub which Chickango called the mullah.

"He's gone in," said Jim, watching the figure of the Mullah with the utmost eagerness.

If that is the case, we should be nearer the Mullah by nightfall.

You can see the mud huts which the Mullah's followers occupy, and there are his herds.

mullah

mulla mollah (ˈmɒlə)

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for mullah

n.

Origin of mullah