Shiʿah
or Shi·ʿa
[shee-uh]
- (used with a plural verb) the Shiʿites.
- (used with a singular verb) Shiʿite.
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Origin of Shiʿah
First recorded in 1620–30, Shiʿah is from the Arabic word shīʿah literally, sect
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for shiah
Historical Examples
The call to prayer from the minarets was adapted to Shiah taste.
Among Muhammadans, Shiah women remove their nose-rings during the Muharram as a sign of mourning.
It may be added that the King of Ahmadbd declined to accept the suggestion that he should become a Shiah.
Rulers of India: AlbuquerqueHenry Morse Stephens
The story of his life as handed down by Shiah or Sunni writers has been much exaggerated.
Mystics and Saints of IslamClaud Field
Most of the Persian trade with Baghdad and thousands of Shiah pilgrims annually pass through it.
Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan, Volume I (of 2)Isabella L. Bird
Shiah
Shia
- one of the two main branches of Islam (the other being the Sunni), making up a tenth or more of the entire Muslim population, and forming the majority in Iran and Iraq, which regards Mohammed's cousin Ali and his successors as the true imams
- another name for Shiite
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- designating or characteristic of this sect or its beliefs and practices
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Word Origin
C17: from Arabic shī`ah sect, from shā`a to follow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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