imam
Americannoun
-
the officiating priest of a mosque.
-
the title for a Muslim religious leader or chief.
-
one of a succession of seven or twelve religious leaders, believed to be divinely inspired, of the Shiʿites.
noun
-
a leader of congregational prayer in a mosque
-
a caliph, as leader of a Muslim community
-
an honorific title applied to eminent doctors of Islam, such as the founders of the orthodox schools
-
any of a succession of either seven or twelve religious leaders of the Shiites, regarded by their followers as divinely inspired
Other Word Forms
- imamship noun
Etymology
Origin of imam
First recorded in 1605–15, imam is from the Arabic word imām leader, guide
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Khamenei was appointed to several posts: first as deputy defense minister, then imam for Tehran’s Friday prayers and, crucially, a supervisor for the Revolutionary Guard.
From Los Angeles Times
"The government programmes are slow, we don't know where the problem comes from," said local imam Fakhri.
From Barron's
With Ramadan so close, the imam emphasised brotherhood, charity and togetherness.
From Barron's
An imam of a local mosque has also been arrested.
From BBC
Can a prominent exiled imam critical of Mali's junta rally the population against the west African country's authoritarian rulers in the midst of jihadist expansion and economic crisis?
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
