Sunni

[ soon-ee ]

/ ˈsʊn i /

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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.

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Origin of Sunni

1620–30; <Arabic sunnī, derivative of sunnahSunna

OTHER WORDS FROM Sunni

Sunnism, noun

Words nearby Sunni

sunlit, sun lounge, sun moss, sunn, Sunna, Sunni, sunnies, Sunnite, sunny, sunny side, sunny-side up

How to use Sunni in a sentence

While no one has claimed responsibility as yet, Afghanistan’s Shiite Muslim minority have long come under attack from Sunni extremists, including Islamic State terrorists.
Taliban Weakness Exposed by Mosque Blast that Kills 50+|Sami Yousafzai, Rachel Olding|October 8, 2021|The Daily Beast
No less so for those belonging to ethnic groups and Islamic sects other than the Sunni and predominantly Pashtun Taliban.
There’s No Way to Spin Kabul’s Fall|Erik Nelson|August 15, 2021|Ozy
It has carefully cultivated relations with key domestic stakeholders in Turkey, including the Taliban and warlords opposed to the militant Sunni group.
Butterfly Effect: The New Sultan of Kabul?|Charu Kasturi|June 24, 2021|Ozy
Sunni extremism would dramatically diminish if its Saudi oil financing expired.
A World Without Fossil Fuels Funding Our Enemies Would Be A Safer World for America|Lindsey Graham and Sheldon Whitehouse|June 17, 2021|Time

Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia have fought proxy wars in Yemen, Syria and beyond.
Tehran, It Is a Changin’|Sean Culligan|June 16, 2021|Ozy
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 troops in his army upon whom he placed most reliance were the Afghans and Tartars, who were of the Sunni persuasion.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, v. 13|Various
The field contains but few adventitious designs and they are rarely animal, as the Afghans are Sunni Mohammedans.
Oriental Rugs|Walter A. Hawley
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
(e) Shiite Moslems outnumber the Sunni, and make about one twenty-fifth of the whole.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 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