iftar

noun

if·​tar ˈif-ˌtär How to pronounce iftar (audio)
plural iftars
: a meal taken by Muslims at sundown to break the daily fast during Ramadan
When we returned to Alexandria, in the late afternoon, the streets were deserted. It was the holy month of Ramadan. Most people had rushed home for the iftar, the breaking of the fast that lasts from sunrise to sunset.Amos Elon
Most of the time, iftars are family gatherings, held in homes or mosques during the holy month of Ramadan as people sit down to break the daily fast.The Arab American News

Examples of iftar 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.
Fatemeh Bahrami / Anadolu via Getty Images Across the region, Muslims say the rhythms of daily life during the holy month — from communal iftar meals to late-night gatherings and Eid preparations — have been disrupted by air raid alerts, displacement and the threat of aerial attacks. Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026 Three years later, the two crossed paths again when Aliyu picked up then-mayoral candidate Mamdani in his taxicab to attend an iftar. Katherine Koretski, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026 Online, many volunteers, organizations and businesses have been sharing various initiatives to make, package and distribute hot meals for iftar and donate essentials from blankets and clothes to formula milk and medications. ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026 How iftar dinner helps bridge divides Latif leads the Islamic Center of New York City, where volunteers recently prepared an evening iftar meal of chicken and rice and dates. Brian Mann, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for iftar

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Arabic ifṭār, noun of action from aftara "to break a fast," derivative of faṭara "to break, split"

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of iftar was in 1832

Cite this Entry

“Iftar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iftar. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

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