Sufi

1 of 2

noun (1)

Su·​fi ˈsü-(ˌ)fē 

: a Muslim mystic

Sufi adjective

Sufic

ˈsü-fik 

adjective

Sufism

ˈsü-ˌfi-zəm 

noun

Sufism

2 of 2

noun (2)

Su·​fism -ˌfizəm 

variants or less commonly Sufiism

-fēˌiz-

plural -s

: ascetic Islamic mysticism originating in the 8th century and developing especially in Persia into a system of elaborate symbolism of which the goal is communion with the deity through contemplation and ecstasy

Examples of Sufi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Qawwali, which hails from India and Pakistan, is a musical performance of Sufi Muslim poetry — think Rumi and Hafez — infusing singing, handclaps and drumbeats to bring listeners to ecstatic heights. — Malaka Gharib, NPR, 23 May 2026

Its origins lie in ancient Greek philosophy and Ayurvedic purification; it is woven through Christian, Islamic, Sufi, and Buddhist traditions. — Jane Alexander, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 May 2026

Atif Mian and Amir Sufi showed that mortgage credit expanded rapidly in subprime ZIP codes even where income growth was weak (and in some cases declining). — James Broughel, Forbes.com, 7 May 2026

At the 2026 Biennale, his pavilion will center on the Sufi concept of Fana, the annihilation of self to achieve a collective awakening, and will posit quantum physics as the contemporary counterpart to fifteenth-century Hurufi mysticism. — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Noun (2)

Arabic ṣūfī, perhaps from ṣūf wool

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1653, in the meaning defined above