First recorded in 1615–25; from Arabic qur'ān “reading, recitation,” from qara'a “to read, recite”
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We stayed to guard our soil," her daughter Najat al-Nour, a Quran professor in her fifties who lifted her chin high to admonish those who left.
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
"We remembered God Almighty night and day. Neighbours would come to the Quran circle in the house," Suleiman says.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
Shahabi was born into a deeply religious Muslim family and served as a Quran teacher in Iran.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2026
Investigators found a Quran in the suspect’s vehicle and Iranian imagery among his belongings, prompting federal authorities to examine whether ideology played a role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026
Plus, the next time there’s a Quran competition, I’ll be ready.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
It’s something that Muslims do the world over, in line with the teachings of the Qur'an, Islam’s holy book.
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2024
A double-page spread from a Qur’an, handwritten on blush-pink paper, is in Arabic.
From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2022
Later that day, after returning from a shower, McAvoy entered his cell to find the Qur'an, a packet of Weetabix and some UHT milk on his bed.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2020
He had fled for his life from Afghanistan after accidentally damaging a Qur’an.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 3, 2020
But she learned that there were Shiite and Sunni interpretations of the Qur’an, and within any mosque there were the same variations in faith and commitment as there were in any church.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
“This applies both to the burning of Qurans and other religious symbols. It has no other purpose than to provoke and create division.”
From Washington Times ● Jul. 22, 2023
“They get round-the-clock medical care, they get the Qurans when they want it. So they’re treated far better than they would be treated almost anywhere else. And that’s costly.”
From Washington Post ● Mar. 19, 2023
On arrival they found texts which included early Qurans and some with diverse topics including astronomy, maths and geography.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2022
“The pocket Qurans are out, the memorized holy words are recited and hands are raised for prayers,” Ebad Ahmed, a journalist based in Karachi, said about some fans seeking divine intervention.
From New York Times ● Oct. 23, 2021
“But there are Qurans here in your home.”
From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai
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.
