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abaya

noun

aba·​ya ə-ˈbī-ə How to pronounce abaya (audio)
: a loose-fitting full-length robe worn by some Muslim women

Examples of abaya in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Men in long white coats called kandura and women in flowing black abaya browse with children, hoping to take home a kitten, goldendoodle, python, canary, fish — or an African grey parrot. Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025 The brand’s renown has been fanned by the likes Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, who has sported a Bouguessa abaya as a long duster. Miles Socha, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025 Women cover their heads and wear the abaya, a long black gown. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2022 Nilab looked like a spy in her abaya, gloves that covered her tattoos and sunglasses. Juliet MacUr, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2022 See All Example Sentences for abaya

Word History

Etymology

Arabic ʽabāya

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abaya was in 1810

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abaya.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abaya. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.

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