dervish

noun

der·​vish ˈdər-vish How to pronounce dervish (audio)
1
: a member of a Muslim religious order noted for devotional exercises (such as bodily movements leading to a trance)
2
: one that whirls or dances with or as if with the abandonment of a dervish

Examples of dervish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Local press were quick to report Egypt’s General Authority for Censorship for Works of Art had revoked the film’s license, with an influential film critic noting a scene featuring a dervish as the probable cause. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024 The word comes from the psychiatrist Humphry Osmond, who argued in a 1957 letter to Aldous Huxley that similar effects could arise from drug use, epilepsy, schizophrenia, starvation, vitamin deficiency, yoga practices, and dervish dancing. Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2024 Also Read Playboi Carti, André 3000 Anchor Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw The spinning punk dervishes here at this multi-band guerrilla gig conjure from the ground a choking cloud of dust, which plumes north in the twilight. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 18 Oct. 2024 Set in the late 1990s in a remote coastal village, the story weaves together local myths about dervishes (Sufis), mahi sawars (fish riders) and mysterious creatures believed to be angels in disguise. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dervish 

Word History

Etymology

Turkish derviş, literally, beggar, from Persian darvīsh

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dervish was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near dervish

Cite this Entry

“Dervish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dervish. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

dervish

noun
der·​vish ˈdər-vish How to pronounce dervish (audio)
: a member of a Muslim religious group noted for its customs (as bodily movements leading to a trance)

More from Merriam-Webster on dervish

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