Sunni

[ soo n-ee ]

/ ˈsʊn i /

noun Islam.

Also called Sunnite. a member of one of the two great religious divisions of Islam, regarding the first four caliphs as legitimate successors of Muhammad and stressing the importance of Sunna as a basis for law.Compare Shiʿite.

(used with a plural verb) the Sunni Muslims.

Origin of Sunni

1620–30; < Arabic sunnī, derivative of sunnah Sunna

Related forms

Sun·nism, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sunni

Within a few years, Iran had jailed or driven from the country more than 60 Sunni clerics.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Riots broke out in 1994, after Iranian authorities replaced a Sunni mosque in Mashad with a development project.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Baluch in Iran do not speak Farsi but Baluchi, just like the Baluch in Pakistan, and in Iran they are a Sunni minority.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When a popular Sunni televangelist does it, to forgive is divine.
Disco Mullah Blasphemy Row Highlights Pakistan’s Hypocrisy|Shaheen Pasha|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

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|DAILY BEAST
The Bektashi group had always been much more liberal and forward looking than the Sunni.
Area Handbook for Albania|Eugene K. Keefe
The kings of these lines adopted the names Dia, Sunni, and Askia.
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 2, 1917|Various
The result is obvious: Persia is a priest-ridden country; in “Sunni” lands the people are freer, and dare think for themselves.
Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia|M. E. Hume-Griffith
The religion was that of Islam, and the sect the orthodox Sunni; but the practice was less precise than in Arabia.
Library Of The World's Best Literature, Ancient And Modern, Vol 3|Various
The struggle between Shiah and Sunni was dividing the world of Islam.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 9|Various

British Dictionary definitions for sunni

Sunni

/ (ˈsʌnɪ) /

noun

one of the two main branches of orthodox Islam (the other being the Shiah), consisting of those who acknowledge the authority of the Sunna

plural -nis or -ni another term for Sunnite

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