Shiʿite

[shee-ahyt]

See more synonyms for Shiʿite on Thesaurus.com

noun Islam.

a member of one of the two great religious divisions of Islam that regards Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, as the legitimate successor of Muhammad, and disregards the three caliphs who succeeded him.

Also Shi·ite, Shiʿa, Shiʿah, Shi·ʿi

[shee-ee, shee-ee] /ʃiˈi, ˈʃi i/.

Compare Sunni(def 1).

Origin of Shiʿite

Shiʿah + -ite¹

Related formsShi·ʿism

[shee-iz-uh m] /ˈʃi ɪz əm/, nounShi·ʿit·ic

[shee-it-ik] /ʃiˈɪt ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for shiite

Contemporary Examples

A Shiite stronghold wrapped in a Sunni explosive belt—not exactly a picture of stability.
The Nuclear Deal That Iran’s Regime Fears Most
Djavad Khadem
November 22, 2014
Allying themselves with the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, some Lebanese Christians are standing their ground against ISIS.
Lebanese Christians Gun Up Against ISIS
Susannah George
November 10, 2014
Last month, the three largest Shiite militias told President Obama not to send ground troops into Iraq.
Iran Orders Elite Troops: Lay Off U.S. Forces in Iraq
Eli Lake
October 6, 2014
In the United Kingdom, 100 Sunni and Shiite Imams have joined together to condemn ISIS.
Why Muslims Hate Terrorism More
Dean Obeidallah
August 12, 2014
They had feared ISIS fighters and their Sunni allies would unleash a massacre of the predominantly Shiite townsfolk.
This Is How You Fight ISIS
Jamie Dettmer
June 19, 2014

Historical Examples

It is well known that Shiite teachers were especially active in Persia.
Mystics and Saints of Islam
Claud Field
On the other side of the shrunken Abbasid domain there was also a Shiite kingdom in Persia.
The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
Herbert George Wells
On the last night many Shiite Moslems walk to the mosque in bare feet, wearing sackcloth.
Modern Persia
Mooshie G. Daniel
During this period every man, woman and child of the Shiite Moslems are under obligations to wear black garments.
Modern Persia
Mooshie G. Daniel
The most prominent university of the Shiite Mohammedans is in the shrine place of Karballa.
Modern Persia
Mooshie G. Daniel

British Dictionary definitions for shiite

Shiite

Shiah

noun

an adherent of Shiah

adjective

of or relating to Shiah

Derived FormsShiitic (ʃiːˈɪtɪk), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for shiite

Shiite

n.

1728, "a member of the Shia sect of Islam," from Shia + -ite (1), Latin-derived suffix denoting "follower."

Shiʿite

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}Shiʿite

Examples from the Web for shiite

Contemporary Examples

A Shiite stronghold wrapped in a Sunni explosive belt—not exactly a picture of stability.

Allying themselves with the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, some Lebanese Christians are standing their ground against ISIS.

Last month, the three largest Shiite militias told President Obama not to send ground troops into Iraq.

In the United Kingdom, 100 Sunni and Shiite Imams have joined together to condemn ISIS.

They had feared ISIS fighters and their Sunni allies would unleash a massacre of the predominantly Shiite townsfolk.

Historical Examples

It is well known that Shiite teachers were especially active in Persia.

On the other side of the shrunken Abbasid domain there was also a Shiite kingdom in Persia.

On the last night many Shiite Moslems walk to the mosque in bare feet, wearing sackcloth.

During this period every man, woman and child of the Shiite Moslems are under obligations to wear black garments.

The most prominent university of the Shiite Mohammedans is in the shrine place of Karballa.

Shiite

Shiah

Word Origin and History for shiite

Shiite

n.

Origin of Shiʿite