Shiʿah
or Shi·ʿa
[ shee-uh ]
/ ˈʃi ə /
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noun Islam.
(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
Words nearby Shiʿah
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for Shiʿah
British Dictionary definitions for Shiʿah
Shiah
Shia
/ (ˈʃiːə) /
noun
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
adjective
designating or characteristic of this sect or its beliefs and practices
Word Origin for Shiah
C17: from Arabic shī`ah sect, from shā`a to follow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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