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

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Not everyone is always up for being challenged by a serious look at the history of Rastafarianism. — PCMAG, 27 Feb. 2025 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

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Rastafarianism was in 1938

Rhymes for Rastafarianism

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Rastafarian
Rastafarianism
rastellus
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Cite this Entry

“Rastafarianism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Rastafarianism. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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