Safawid

noun

Sa·​fa·​wid

variants or Safavid

səˈfäˌwēd

or less commonly Safavi

-ä(ˌ)wē

plural -s

: a member of an Islamic Persian dynasty founded in 1502 by Shah Ismail

Word History

Etymology

Safawid, Safavid from Arabic ṣafawīy descended from Ṣafī-al-Dīn (from Ṣafī-al-Dīn †1334 Persian saint of Arab lineage) + English -id; Safavi from Arabic ṣafawīy

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

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