Word
abdal
Phoneticsab·dal
Definition
n. a person who is completely devoted to a religious leader or a specific religious practice. It is a very formal and old-fashioned word.
n. a person who is entirely devoted to a religious leader or to a specific religious practice. Often used in historical or theological contexts to describe extreme forms of religious devotion.
Examples
“The abdal lived in a small room near the temple.”
“In some historical accounts, the abdal were known for their extreme asceticism and total obedience to their spiritual masters.”
“The text describes the abdal as individuals who had renounced all worldly possessions to live in a state of perpetual service to the divine will.”
Examples
simple
“The abdal lived in a small room near the temple.”
contextual
“In some historical accounts, the abdal were known for their extreme asceticism and total obedience to their spiritual masters.”
complex
“The text describes the abdal as individuals who had renounced all worldly possessions to live in a state of perpetual service to the divine will.”
Etymology
From Arabic أَبْدَال (ʔabdāl), plural of بَدَل (badal, “a substitute; a good, religious man; saint”), from بَدَلَ (badala, “to replace”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.