hijab

noun

hi·​jab hē-ˈjäb How to pronounce hijab (audio)
-ˈjab
1
plural hijabs : a covering for the hair and neck that is worn by some Muslim women
The website offers Muslim women an array of hijabs for every occasion—including sports—without skimping on quality, comfort, or modest principles.Sara Holzman
While Muslim women wear hijabs to show modesty and piety, every woman has her own reason for wearing a hijab, but Mohammad Zal said many people mistake these reasons for coercion.Christine Fernando
… women are burning their headscarves in the street. … They don't object to the hijab itself; they object to not having the right to choose whether to wear it.Roya Hakakian
… as part of a controversial decade-long effort to curb the public expression of religion, the French Senate voted 160-143 Tuesday in favor of a bill seeking to amend its national Sports Code to ban athletes from wearing religious symbols, such as hijabs … at sports competitions, public swimming pools, and bathing areas.Ananya Upadhya
The dispute began … at a college preparatory school for girls in Udupi, a city in southwestern Karnataka, when teachers there barred several Muslim students from entering their classrooms while wearing hijabs.Sameer Yasir
2
: a set of principles and practices in Islam relating to modesty and morality and especially to covering oneself (as by wearing a hijab)
"… hijab is not just about outer appearances; it is also about noble speech, dignified and righteous conduct, and modesty. …"brochure, quoted in The Houston Chronicle
"Since a majority of my clients are Muslim, some will be observing hijab, which is a religious observance, usually interpreted by wearing a headscarf and dressing modestly. …"Fatin Jarara
Farooqi and others are dressed in classic American volunteer attire—yellow T-shirts emblazoned with a logo—but the men also wear … skullcaps and the women observe hijab, covering their hair and necks with scarves.Harry Bruinius

Examples of hijab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Maryam Hasan moves among them in a bright tunic and hijab, cleaning up, stopping to play or give a hug. Brian Contreras, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023 Since coming to power, Erdogan has lifted Turkey’s Kemalist-era ban on the hijab while also allowing Islam to flood into the country’s educational curriculum and political life. Soner Cagaptay, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024 With a playful, digressive style, Moghaddam considers the layers of the hijab and the ways that a dress code both enables and disables self-expression. Akiva Gottlieb, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Several young women in combat boots and hijabs, who had organized the rally, came out carrying homemade posters and a bullhorn. Emma Green, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2023 An incident involving a female student in a hijab, an Islamic headscarf, being attacked by a male student at Glenside Middle School in Queen Bee District 16 in Glendale Heights, is being investigated by the district and police. Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2024 After images of their release were shared online, both were charged under laws requiring women to wear a hijab, the Guardian reported. Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 2024 Several of the ads even featured deepfake videos of Moldova’s pro-Western president, Maia Sandu, wearing a hijab and announcing her intention to resign. David Gilbert, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2024 More than anyone else, Masih Alinejad has taught me that a hijab is more than a piece of cloth. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hijab.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Arabic ḥijāb cover, screen, veil

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of hijab was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near hijab

Cite this Entry

“Hijab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hijab. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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