fidaʽi

noun

fi·​daʽi
variants or fida'i or fidai
fiˈdäˌē
or less commonly fidawi
-äwē
or fedai
-äˌē
plural fidaʽis or fida'is or fidai or fidais also fidawi or fidawis or fedai or fedais
sometimes capitalized
: a member of an Ismaili order of assassins known for their willingness to offer up their lives in order to carry out delegated assignments of murdering appointed victims

Word History

Etymology

Persian fidā'ī

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near fidaʽi

Cite this Entry

“Fidaʽi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fida%CA%BDi. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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