Ramadan

American  

[rahm-uh-dahn, rahm-uh-dahn, ram-uh-dan] / ˌrɑm əˈdɑn, ˈrɑm əˌdɑn, ˈræm əˌdæn /

noun

Islam.

1. the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

2. the festival celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, commemorating the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad: observed with strict fasting from dawn till sunset and, often, feasting and festivities after sunset.

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Ramadan British  

/ ˌræməˈdɑːn, ˌræməˈzɑːn /

noun

1. the ninth month of the Muslim year, lasting 30 days, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset

2. the fast itself

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Ramadan Cultural  

1. A holy month in Islam; the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Devout Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset during each day of Ramadan.

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Usage

What is Ramadan? Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which many Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset each day. The word Ramadan is also used to refer to this daily fast. During Ramadan, Muslims who fast start the day by eating a meal, called suhoor, before sunrise. The fast is then broken every night after sunset with a meal called iftar. The strictness of the fast varies among Muslims, and not every Muslim fasts during Ramadan. Children, elderly people, and people who have a health condition or are sick or pregnant are not required to fast, and often eat and drink during the day. Along with the daily fast and other forms of abstinence, many Muslims observe Ramadan by praying, attending services at their mosque, trying to give up bad habits, and performing charitable acts. The day after Ramadan ends, the festival known as Eid-al-fitr begins. Its name means “festival of the breaking of the fast.”One traditional greeting for Ramadan is Ramadan Mubarak, roughly meaning “Happy Ramadan” or “Blessed Ramadan.”

Etymology

Origin of Ramadan

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Arabic ramaḍān, from ramaḍ “dryness, scorchedness,” from ramiḍa “to become intensely hot, be scorched”

Example Sentences

When the war began in February, during the holy month of Ramadan, thousands of Iranians were in Mecca and Medina for a smaller pilgrimage.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

"Normally, the season here starts in mid-May, and this year it started right after the end of Ramadan," he said.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

The main street was still decorated for Ramadan, and almost all houses seemed abandoned.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

They include Haitham Ramadan, a Knicks fan living in Philadelphia, who says he has spent $18,483 buying 93 tickets using his coveted ZIP Code.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

I asked Jessica one day in our Ramadan group.

From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea