Bahaʾi

or Ba·ha·i, Ba·hā·ʾī

[ buh-hah-ee, -hahy ]

/ bəˈhɑ i, -ˈhaɪ /

noun, plural Ba·ha·ʾis.

a religion founded in Iran in 1863 by Husayn ʿAlī (called Bahaullah), teaching the essential worth of all religions, the unity of all peoples, and the equality of the sexes.

an adherent of Bahaʾi.

adjective

of or relating to Bahaʾi or Bahaʾis.

Origin of Bahaʾi

< Persian < Arabic bahāʾ ( Allāh) Bahaullah, literally, splendor (of God) + -ī suffix of appurtenance

Cultural definitions for baha'i

Baha'i

[ (bah-hah-ee, buh-heye) ]

A teacher or follower of Bahaism, a religion advocating universal peace and stressing the spiritual unity of humankind. It was founded in 1863 in Persia as an offshoot of an earlier sect called Babism.