ayatollah
A religious leader in TwelverismA religious leader in Twelverism.
» The difference between an ayatollah and a mullah is hierarchical: all ayatollahs are mullahs, but not all mullahs are ayatollahs.
Meaning
2 senses(Shia)A religious leader in Twelverism.
Ajatollah
аятолла́ajatollá
аятола́ajatolá
(colloquial)An authority on any subject.
- a high-ranking Shiite religious leader who is regarded as an authority on religious law and its interpretation and who has political power as well
Examples
2 sentencesThe difference between an ayatollah and a mullah is hierarchical: all ayatollahs are mullahs, but not all mullahs are ayatollahs.
Tom met the Ayatollah.
ruТом встретился с аятоллой. — Ooneykcall
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیَتُاللّٰه (âyato-l-lâh), from Classical Persian آیَةُاللّٰBorrowed from Iranian Persian آیَتُاللّٰه (âyato-l-lâh), from Classical Persian آیَةُاللّٰه (āyatu-l-lāh), from Arabic آيَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ (ʔāyatu llāhi, “sign of God”, from آيَة (ʔāya, “sign”) + اللّٰه (allāh, “God”)).
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