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

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

So our goal is not to snap a still image of Sgr A* but to make a crude movie of it spinning like a billion-degree dervish at the center of the galaxy. —IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2020

The color red, recurrent in her work, finds its origin here in the often colorful dresses worn by whirling dervishes. —Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes, 1 Jan. 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)