ayatollah

noun

aya·​tol·​lah ˌī-ə-ˈtō-lə How to pronounce ayatollah (audio) -ˈtä- How to pronounce ayatollah (audio)
-ˈtə-,
ˈī-ə-ˌtō-,
-ˌtä-,
-ˌtə-
: a religious leader among Shiite Muslims
used as a title of respect especially for one who is not an imam

Examples of ayatollah 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.
In 1979, a revolution established an Islamic Republic, grounded in strict Muslim religious ideology, led by a religious ayatollah. Sharyl Attkisson, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2025 Its fight is with the regime, not with the Iranian people, who have been oppressed by the ayatollahs for almost half a century. Laurence Milstein, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025 Two ayatollahs said threats to Iran's supreme leader are insults to Islam. Somayeh Malekian, ABC News, 30 June 2025 His father was an ayatollah, a religious figure with an exalted title and limited income. Steve Inskeep, NPR, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ayatollah

Word History

Etymology

Persian āyatollāh, literally, sign of God, from Arabic āyatallāh, from āya sign, miracle + allāh God

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ayatollah was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ayatollah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ayatollah. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ayatollah

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!