Rastafarianism

noun

Ras·​ta·​far·​i·​an·​ism ˌra-stə-ˈfer-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce Rastafarianism (audio)
ˌrä-stə-ˈfär-
: a religious movement among Black Jamaicans that teaches the eventual redemption of Black people and their return to Africa, employs the ritualistic use of marijuana, forbids the cutting of hair, and venerates Haile Selassie as a god

Examples of Rastafarianism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Early Rastafarianism designated Ethiopia’s emperor Haile Selassie I as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and the rightful messiah for Black people, rather than the white version they’d been raised to exalt. Lawrence Burney, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, many black Americans have special access to Ghanaian passports, Rastafarianism in the Caribbean celebrates Africa as the home of black people, and heritage tourism from North and South America and the Caribbean to West Africa has boomed. Kwame Anthony Appiah, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2015 Another element of the movie that really stood out to me was how the movie presented Rastafarianism. Melissa Noel, Essence, 9 Mar. 2024 One Love explores the singer’s commitment to Rastafarianism and its impact on his consciousness with a light touch. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024 The reggae artist Sizzla is planning to transform Judgment Yard, his property in August Town, Kingston, into a place where all are welcomed to stay and experience Rastafarianism. Text By Nicole Dennis-Benn, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2023 Prime Minister Michael Manley and his party, People’s National Party, had long embraced Rastafarianism, and Manley himself had publicly overlooked marijuana farming until American authorities began to apply pressure in the mid-1970s. Kristen McGuiness, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2022 Founded in the early 1970s, MOVE blended anti-establishment Black liberation, Rastafarianism and the animal rights movement, — frequently clashing with law enforcement in protest. Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2021 But Dodd was fond of neither Scratch's singing voice nor Rastafarianism, and that ultimately hastened his departure from the Studio One fold. NBC News, 29 Aug. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Rastafarianism was in 1938

Dictionary Entries Near Rastafarianism

Cite this Entry

“Rastafarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Rastafarianism. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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