Mahdi

noun

Mah·​di ˈmä-dē How to pronounce Mahdi (audio)
1
: the expected messiah of Muslim tradition
2
: a Muslim leader who assumes a messianic role
Mahdism noun
Mahdist noun

Word History

Etymology

Arabic mahdī, literally, one rightly guided

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Mahdi was in 1626

Dictionary Entries Near Mahdi

Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on Mahdi

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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