Word
imam
US/ˈaɪmæm/
UK/ɪmˈæm/
Definitions
01prayer leader
n. the person who leads the prayers in a mosque.
n. the person who leads congregational worship and prayers (salat) in a mosque.
“The imam stood at the front of the mosque to lead the Friday prayers.”
“After the afternoon prayer, the imam stayed behind to offer guidance to several members of the local community.”
02Shi'ite spiritual leader
n. a title for a great leader in the Shi'ite branch of Islam who is a descendant of Muhammad.
n. one of the divinely appointed successors to the Prophet Muhammad in Shi'ite theology, often capitalized as 'Imam'.
“The history of the Twelve Imams is central to their religious identity.”
“Scholars debated the historical role of the third Imam in shaping the theological foundations of the sect.”
Formal
Usage
Often capitalized when referring to specific historical figures in Shi'ite Islam.
Real-World Examples
“On a cloudy Tuesday afternoon, the Swedish-born imam had taken to the street to invite people to ask him anything they had ever wanted to know about Islam.” Etymology
Borrowed from Arabic إِمَام (ʔimām, “leader”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/imam