imam

noun

i-ˈmäm 

ē-, 

-ˈmam 

variants often Imam

1

: the prayer leader of a mosque

2

: a Muslim leader of the line of Ali held by Shiites to be the divinely appointed, sinless, infallible successors of Muhammad

3

: any of various rulers that claim descent from Muhammad and exercise spiritual and temporal leadership over a Muslim region

Examples of imam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ziyārat al-Arbaʿīn, a devotional prayer attributed to the 6th imam, Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq, has been an important component of the pilgrimage for much of its history. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 July 2026

Shiites believe the mosque once hosted Muhammad al-Mahdi, the 12th and last Shiite imam, who disappeared in the 9th century and is supposed to one day reappear to bring justice to the world. — Arkansas Online, 7 July 2026

Latticework typical to the shrine of an imam, or religious leader, festooned the side of the truck carrying the coffins. — Marc Smith, NBC news, 6 July 2026

In Iran's theocratic system, Khamenei was not only head of state and leader of a revolutionary movement, but the representative on Earth ‌for Shi'ite Islam's ⁠12th imam, who disappeared in the ninth century. — Parisa Hafezi, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Arabic imām

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1