Sunni

noun

Sun·​ni ˈsu̇(n)-(ˌ)nē How to pronounce Sunni (audio)
1
: the Muslims of the branch of Islam that adheres to the orthodox tradition and acknowledges the first four caliphs as rightful successors of Muhammad compare shia
2
: a Sunni Muslim
Sunni adjective

Examples of Sunni 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.
This creates an opportunity to coalesce the Sunni Arab states – either around the Abraham Accords or a growing anti-Iran coalition. Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2025 But for Syria, also predominantly Sunni Muslim, the stakes are existential and the removal of just one of its two main enemies — Iran or Israel — gives it greater freedom to assert itself, regional analysts say. Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025 However, after Assad fled to Moscow after being overthrown by opposition groups led by Sunni Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, Moscow's grip on the region, which included naval access to the Mediterranean, has weakened. Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025 Facing harassment and even death threats, confronting high unemployment, and deeply skeptical of the country’s new Sunni Islamist leadership, some Druze have begun to call for self-rule, international protection, or even alignment with neighboring Israel. Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for Sunni

Word History

Etymology

Arabic sunnī, from sunna

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sunni was in 1595

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sunni.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sunni. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Sunni

noun
Sun·​ni ˈsu̇n-(n)ē How to pronounce Sunni (audio)
plural Sunnis or Sunni
1
: one of the two main branches of Islam
2
: a Muslim who is a member of the Sunni branch of Islam

More from Merriam-Webster on Sunni

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