ayatollah

• ayatolla

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیَتُ‌اللّٰه (âyato-llâh), from Classical Persian آیَةُاللّٰه (āyatu-llāh), from Arabic آيَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ (ʔāyatu llāhi, “sign of God”, from آيَة (ʔāya, “sign”) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, “God”)).

ayatollah (plural ayatollahs)

1. (Islam) A religious leader in Twelver Shi'ism.
2. (colloquial) An authority on any subject.

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, “sign of God”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌaː.jaːˈtɔ.laː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: aya‧tol‧lah

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahs, diminutive ayatollaatje n)

1. (Islam) A religious leader in Twelver Shi'ism.
2. Highest grade of theological scholarship in Shi'ism.
3. (by extension) A (thought) leader or key figure in general.
   • 2017, Alain Mouton, Het geld is op! De financiële putten van België:

     Van de ayatollah van de begrotingssanering die de Gentenaar in de jaren tachtig was, bleef er niet veel over.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, “sign of God”, from آيَة (ʔāya, “sign”) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, “God”)).

• IPA^(key): /a.ja.tɔ.la/

• Audio

  (file)

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahs)

1. (Islam) ayatollah
2. (figuratively, derogatory) strong proponent of something; person behaving tyrannically and despotically in a particular matter

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, “sign of God”, from آيَة (ʔāya, “sign”) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, “God”)).

• IPA^(key): /a.ja.tolˈla/^**
• Rhymes: -a

ayatollah m (invariable)

1. ayatollah

ayatollah m

1. form removed by a 1984 spelling decision; superseded by ayatolla

ayatollah m

1. (pre-1984) alternative form of ayatolla

Borrowed from French ayatollah, from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, “sign of God”, from آيَة (ʔāya, “sign”) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, “God”)).

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahi)

1. ayatollah