Shiʿah
or Shi·ʿa
[ shee-uh ]
/ ˈʃi ə /
noun Islam.
(used with a plural verb)
the Shiʿites.
(used with a singular verb)
Shiʿite.
Origin of Shiʿah
First recorded in 1620–30,
Shiʿah is from the Arabic word
shīʿah literally, sect
Definition for shi'a (2 of 2)
Shiʿite
[ shee-ahyt ]
/ ˈʃi aɪt /
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.
Compare
Sunni(def 1).
OTHER WORDS FROM Shiʿite
Shi·ʿism [shee-iz-uh m] /ˈʃi ɪz əm/, noun Shi·ʿit·ic [shee-it-ik] /ʃiˈɪt ɪk/, adjectiveExample sentences from the Web for shi'a
Constantia, kon-stan′shi-a, n. a wine produced around Constantia in Cape Colony.
Fuchsia, fū′shi-a, a plant with long pendulous flowers, native to South America.