burkini

noun

bur·​ki·​ni bər-ˈkē-nē How to pronounce burkini (audio)
plural burkinis
: a swimsuit designed for Muslim women and girls that covers the entire body except for the face, feet, and hands
Burkinis may be some of the most conservative bathing suits, but that doesn't mean they can't look trendy.Madeleine Buckley
The exhibition … brings together an international interpretation of Muslim culture and fashion from designer garments by international names … to sportswear such as the burkini. …Celine Semaan
At issue are the full-body, head-covering garments worn in the water by some Muslim women, which have been nicknamed burkinis, an amalgam of burqa and bikini. The mayor's ban has drawn protests from French Muslims who say it is discriminatory.Aurelien Breeden and Lilia Blaiseaug

Examples of burkini in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Muslim women were stopped on French beaches for sporting burkinis, or for wearing a hijab on city buses, in public institutions, or while driving. Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr. 2024 The burkini had previously been legalized by the city of Grenoble in May 2021, along with topless swimming, after outcry from residents. Fox News, 22 June 2022 My burkini, almost all four yards of it, swells up around me and serves as a flotation device. EW.com, 8 Dec. 2020 In 2019, Muslim model Halima Aden made history as the magazine’s first model to be photographed wearing a hijab and burkini, while Leyna Bloom became the first transgender cover model in its 2021 swimsuit issue. Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 16 May 2023 The Persian Version opens with a young Iranian American woman played by Layla Mohammadi, wearing a homemade burkini, with a full Islamic face covering and a string bikini on the bottom. Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2023 But one contestant from the tiny Gulf state of Bahrain avoided that taboo by participating in this year’s Miss Universe in New Orleans in a pink burkini swimsuit that covered her from the neck down, including her arms. Hadas Gold, CNN, 20 Jan. 2023 Towns began banning the burkini, with police officers fining Muslim women found wearing them who refused to remove some of their clothes or leave the beach. Fox News, 22 June 2022 Aden was also the first pageant queen to wear a burkini and hijab in a competition. Allure, 27 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'burkini.' 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

blend of burka and bikini

First Known Use

2002, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of burkini was in 2002

Dictionary Entries Near burkini

Cite this Entry

“Burkini.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burkini. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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