ayatollah

a·ya·tol·lah  (y-tl, -t-lä)

n. Islam

1. A high-ranking Shiite religious authority regarded as worthy of imitation in matters of religious law and interpretation.

2. Used as a title for such a leader.

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[Persian yatollh, from Arabic 'yatu llh, sign of God : 'yatu, bound form of 'ya, sign, Koranic verse; see wy in Semitic roots + allh, Allah; see Allah.]

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ayatollah

Noun

one of a class of Islamic religious leaders in Iran [Arabic aya sign + allah God]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

ayatollah - a high-ranking Shiite religious leader who is regarded as an authority on religious law and its interpretation and who has political power as well Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Persia - a theocratic Islamic republic in the Middle East in western Asia; Iran was the core of the ancient empire that was known as Persia until 1935; rich in oil religious leader - leader of a religious order