Sunni

noun

Sun·​ni ˈsu̇(n)-(ˌ)nē How to pronounce Sunni (audio)
1
: the Muslims of the branch of Islam that adheres to the orthodox tradition and acknowledges the first four caliphs as rightful successors of Muhammad compare shia
2
: a Sunni Muslim
Sunni adjective

Examples of Sunni in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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However, after Assad fled to Moscow after being overthrown by opposition groups led by Sunni Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, Moscow's grip on the region, which included naval access to the Mediterranean, has weakened. Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025 Facing harassment and even death threats, confronting high unemployment, and deeply skeptical of the country’s new Sunni Islamist leadership, some Druze have begun to call for self-rule, international protection, or even alignment with neighboring Israel. Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2025 In March, Sunni Islamist gangs massacred Alawites on the Syrian coast, in attacks that left well over 1,000 people dead. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 14 May 2025 But another set, which includes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, believes that a moderate, centralized Syrian government is unlikely to emerge under Sunni Islamist leadership and that Israel should prepare itself for hostility by establishing informal spheres of influence. David Makovsky, Foreign Affairs, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Sunni

Word History

Etymology

Arabic sunnī, from sunna

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sunni was in 1595

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sunni.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sunni. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

Sunni

noun
Sun·​ni ˈsu̇n-(n)ē How to pronounce Sunni (audio)
plural Sunnis or Sunni
1
: one of the two main branches of Islam
2
: a Muslim who is a member of the Sunni branch of Islam

More from Merriam-Webster on Sunni

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