ayatollah

a·ya·tol·lah

 (ī′yə-tō′lə, -tō-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 āyatollāh, from Arabic 'āyatu llāh, sign of God : 'āyatu, bound form of 'āya, sign, Koranic verse; see ʔwy in Semitic roots + allāh, Allah; see Allah.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ayatollah

(ˌaɪəˈtɒlə)

n

(Islam) one of a class of Iranian Shiite religious leaders

[via Persian from Arabic, from aya sign + Allah god]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

a•ya•tol•lah

(ˌɑ yəˈtoʊ lə)

n.

1. a title for a Shi‘ite cleric with advanced knowledge of Islamic law.

2. any person in a position of great power or authority.

[1975–80; < Persian < Arabic āyat allāh sign of God; compare Allah]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

ayatollah

This is a title held by the highest religious leaders of the Shiite sect. Ayatollahs guide Shiites in spiritual and worldly matters. An ayatollah can become the leader of the nation.

Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited

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

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

ajatollah

ayatollah

ajatolah

ayatollah

ayatollah

аятолла

ayatollah

[aɪəˈtɒlə] N → ayatolá m, ayatollah m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

ayatollah

[ˌaɪəˈtɒlə] n → ayatollah m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

ayatollah

n → Ayatollah m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007