Alawi

noun

Ala·​wi ˈä-lə-wē How to pronounce Alawi (audio)
ˈä-lä-
variants or less commonly Alawite
: a member of a religious sect living mainly in Syria that originated in Shiite Islam but separated from other Shiite groups in the ninth and tenth centuries

Word History

Etymology

Arabic ʽalawī, from the caliph ʽAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, central figure in Shia Islam

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Alawi was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near Alawi

Cite this Entry

“Alawi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Alawi. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!