Alawi

noun

Ala·​wi ˈä-lə-wē How to pronounce Alawi (audio)
ˈä-lä-
variants or less commonly Alawite
ˌa-lə-ˈwēt How to pronounce Alawi (audio)
: 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

Alava, Cape

Alawi

a law unto oneself

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Alawi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Alawi. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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