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Shia - 4 dictionary results

Shi⋅ʿah

  [shee-uh]
Use Shia in a Sentence
–noun Islam.
1. (used with a plural verb) the Shiʿites.
2. (used with a singular verb) Shiʿite.
Also, Shiʿa.

Origin:
1620–30; < Ar shīʿah lit., sect

Shi⋅ʿite

  [shee-ahyt]
–noun Islam.
a member of one of the two great religious divisions of Islam that regards Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, as the legitimate successor of Muhammad, and disregards the three caliphs who succeeded him.
Also, Shiite, Shiʿa, Shiʿah, Shi⋅ʿi  [shee-ee, shee-ee] .
Compare Sunni (def. 1).

Origin:
Shiʿah + -ite 1

Related forms:
Shi⋅ʿism  [shee-iz-uhm] , noun
Shi⋅ʿit⋅ic  [shee-it-ik] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Shi·ah or Shi·a also Shi·'ah or Shi·'a   (shē'ə)   
n.  
  1. (Used with a pl. verb) The Shiites.
  2. (used with a sing. verb) A Shiite.
adj.  Shiite.

[Arabic šī'a, following, sect, from šā'a, to spread, become known; see śyʕ in Semitic roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Shia 
1626, a collective name for one of the two great Muslim sects (see Shiite). This is the proper use, but it commonly is used to mean "a Shiite." In Arabic, shi'ah is the name of the sect, shiya'iy is a member of the sect.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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