dervish

noun

der·​vish ˈdər-vish 

1

: a member of a Muslim religious order noted for devotional exercises (such as bodily movements leading to a trance)

2

: one that whirls or dances with or as if with the abandonment of a dervish

Examples of dervish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chelsea has Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, a combative duo adept at breaking up the rhythm and flow of an opposition’s midfielders — but there are only two of them against PSG’s whirling dervish of a midfield. —Joe Prince-Wright, NBC news, 12 July 2025

Mayer, who grew up in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, is a whirling dervish of off-the-cuff neuroses onstage, a relatable queen on TikTok, and a blunt and brash storyteller on the page. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2024

Known for its whirling dervishes made famous by the Persian poet Rumi, this form of dance leads to a trancelike state. —Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025

Also called Sufi whirling, the dance is a form of physical meditation and a way for dervishes to connect with God. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Turkish derviş, literally, beggar, from Persian darvīsh

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

dervish

noun

der·​vish ˈdər-vish 

: a member of a Muslim religious group noted for its customs (as bodily movements leading to a trance)