sema

¹ American  

[se-mah, say-mah] / sɛˈmɑ, ˈseɪ mɑ /

noun

1. Islam. a ritual in the Sufi tradition, combining the recitation of poetry, chanting of passages from the Quran, music, vocal and instrumental music, and dancing by whirling dervishes.

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sema ² American  

[say-mah] / ˈseɪ mɑ /

noun

1. in Anishinaabe culture, tobacco, viewed as a sacred plant and used in prayer and offerings to the Creator.

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sema ³ American  

[see-muh] / ˈsi mə /

noun

plural

semas

1. Linguistics. (in semiotics) a unit of meaning; sememe.

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Example Sentences

When the dancer is finally wearing only his long white robe, he is assumed to be without fault and ready to start the mesmerizing complex whirls that define the sema.

From Washington Post • Apr. 11, 2019

According to Jacobs, the full attention of the audience is integral to the success of the sema performance.

From Washington Post • Apr. 11, 2019

I’ve always wanted to see whirling dervishes perform the mystical Sufi ceremony known as a sema, in which their series of mesmerizing turns help them, and the audience, reach a state of nirvana.

From Washington Post • Apr. 11, 2019

During this period, Turkish dervishes worked to spread the dance outside their country to preserve the pure sema traditions.

From Washington Post • Apr. 11, 2019

Li leviĝis kaj iris al sia laboro, kaj tiun ĉi tagon kaj multajn sekvantajn tagojn li laboradis kiel kutime, parolante al neniu pri la sema sonĝo.

From International Language Past, Present and Future: With Specimens of Esperanto and Grammar by Clark, Walter John