Shiʽa

noun

variants or Shia or Shiah

ˈshē(ˌ)ä,

-ēə

plural -s

1

: the Muslims of the branch of Islam comprising sects believing in Ali and the Imams as the only rightful successors of Muhammad and in the concealment and messianic return of the last recognized Imam compare sunni

2

: shiʽite

3

: the branch of Islam formed by the Shiʽa

Word History

Etymology

Arabic shīʽah following, sect

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!