dhimmi

noun

dhim·​mi

ˈdimē

variants or less commonly zimmi

plural dhimmis or dhimmi also zimmis or zimmi

: a person living in a region overrun by Muslim conquest who was accorded a protected status and allowed to retain his or her original faith

Word History

Etymology

Arabic dhimmīy

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!