Islam

noun

Is·​lam is-ˈläm 

iz-,

-ˈlam 

ˈis-ˌläm,

ˈiz-,

-ˌlam

1

: the religious faith of Muslims including belief in Allah as the sole deity and in Muhammad as his prophet

2

a

: the civilization erected upon Islamic faith

b

: the group of modern nations in which Islam is the dominant religion

Islamic

is-ˈlä-mik 

iz-

-ˈla-

adjective

Islamics

is-ˈlä-miks 

iz-

-ˈla-

noun, plural in form but singular or plural in construction

Examples of Islam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Two years later, Abid was deported, joining the tens of thousands of people who arrive daily in western Afghanistan at the Islam Qala reception center in Herat province. —Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

The gunman left four dead, including Islam, and five wounded, before turning the gun on himself, authorities said. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2025

Mamdani told reporters afterward the officer thanked him for his public response to the killing of Islam, who was originally from Bangladesh. —Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025

The key to understanding it, therefore, lies not in queries into the soul of the Iranian nation or the nature of Islam but in studying who did what in the crucial months leading to February 11, 1979. —Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Arabic islām submission (to the will of God)

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Islam

• aplomb
• balaam
• cocom
• embalm
• pogrom
• salaam
• sitcom
• balm
• bom
• bomb
• calm
• dom

Kids Definition

Islam

noun

Is·​lam is-ˈläm  iz- 

-ˈlam;

ˈis-ˌläm,

ˈiz-ˌläm,

-ˌlam

1

: a religion marked by belief in Allah as the sole deity, in Muhammad as his prophet, and in the Koran

2

a

: the civilization erected upon Islamic faith

b

: the modern nations in which Islam is the dominant religion

Islamic

is-ˈläm-ik 

iz-

-ˈlam-

adjective