niqab

noun

ni·qab | \ni-ˈkäb

\

variants: or less commonly niqaab

Definition of niqab

: a veil for covering the hair and face except for the eyes that is worn by some Muslim women

Examples of niqab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And in 2011, France was the first country to officially ban niqabs in public spaces. — Madeleine Ngo, Vox, "The Netherlands just passed a law banning face veils in public buildings," 26 June 2018 But beneath their niqabs, or face-coverings, their conservative counterparts may be making even more ground. — The Economist, "Saudi women want more sway in religious affairs," 12 July 2018 But supporters of religious freedom argue that the act of wearing the burqa or niqab should be a right guaranteed to women. — Madeleine Ngo, Vox, "The Netherlands just passed a law banning face veils in public buildings," 26 June 2018 In recent years, the area has been transformed into a little South Asia, with a mosque and a large halal grocery store, where women in abayas and niqabs shop for Medina dates and Afghani naan. — Catherine Porter, New York Times, "1 Neighborhood. 24 Kindergarten Classes. 40 Languages. (Some Miming Helps.)," 29 June 2018 Many Saudi women in conservative places like Qassim still wear face-covering veils called niqabs. — Margherita Stancati And Donna Abdulaziz, WSJ, "Saudi Women Drive Toward More Equality After Ban Is Lifted," 25 June 2018 In a number of countries, including France, Germany, and Denmark, the niqab and burqa — religious coverings worn by some practicing Muslim women — are partially or totally banned. — Tara Isabella Burton, Vox, "Austria is closing 7 mosques and kicking out 60 imams," 8 June 2018 Denmark became the latest European country to ban full-face veils on Thursday, effectively outlawing the burqa and niqab worn by some Muslim women. — Abigail Abrams, Time, "Denmark Just Became the Latest European Country to Ban Burqas And Niqabs," 1 June 2018 According to Reuters, 200 to 400 women wear burqas or niqab in the Netherlands. — Casey Quackenbush, Time, "Dutch Lawmakers Have Passed a Partial Ban on Wearing a Burqas in Public Places," 27 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'niqab.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

7 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for niqab

The first known use of niqab was in 1936

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