Sufi

American  

[soo-fee] / ˈsu fi /

noun

• Sufis
  plural

1. a member of an ascetic, mystical Muslim sect.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Sufis or Sufism.

Sufi British  

/ ˈsuːfɪ /

noun

1. an adherent of any of various Muslim mystical orders or teachings, which emphasize the direct personal experience of God

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Sufic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Sufis
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of Sufi

First recorded in 1650–55; from Arabic Ṣūfī “(man) of wool,” equivalent to ṣūf “wool” + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin; so called from the ascetic woolen clothing the Sufis wore

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Sufi Sufis

Her family is a microcosm of the diaspora, she said, with her mother, an Iranian Christian, and other relatives of various faith backgrounds, including Baha’i, Zoroastrian, secular Muslim and Sufi expressions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026

Muslims ruled large parts of India from the early 13th to the 19th century, and during this era Muslim preachers and Sufi mystics actively proselytized for Islam.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

"He fell transiting from one part of the balcony to the living room," Sufi said, declining to elaborate on Mahathir's condition.

From Barron's ● Jan. 6, 2026

In Kashmir, it took on a distinct identity, becoming central to Sufi poetry and folk traditions.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2025

The flautist put down his instrument and sang out a Sufi chant.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

I began to pick up some of the wise writers in the Western tradition — Meister Eckhart, Etty Hillesum — no longer convinced that Sufis or Buddhists owned a monopoly on wisdom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 4, 2025

Sufis, Islamic mystics, had arrived in India in the eleventh century, and a substantial number of Muslims had Sufi ancestors.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

She said Sufis, Ahmadiyya Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus are also persecuted, while Baha’is, Buddhists, Zoroastrians and Christians “practice secretly or have gone into hiding.”

From Washington Times ● Aug. 24, 2022

It advocates the strict Saudi-inspired Wahhabi version of Islam, while most Somalis are Sufis.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2021

“Among the Sufis there is a teaching that the universe has never been created and consequently cannot be destroyed. I have spent the afternoon,” Luke announced gravely, “browsing in our little library.”

From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson

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