English edit

 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیَتُ‌اللّٰه (âyato-llâh), from Classical Persian آیَةُاللّٰه (āyatu-llāh), from Arabic آيَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ (ʔāyatu llāhi, sign of God, from آيَة (ʔāya, sign) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, God)).

Noun edit

ayatollah (plural ayatollahs)

  1. (Islam) A religious leader in Twelver Shi'ism.
  2. (colloquial) An authority on any subject.

Translations edit

Dutch edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, sign of God).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˌaː.jaːˈtɔ.laː/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: aya‧tol‧lah

Noun edit

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahs, diminutive ayatollaatje n)

  1. (Islam) A religious leader in Twelver Shi'ism.
  2. Highest grade of theological scholarship in Shi'ism.
  3. (by extension) A (thought) leader or key figure in general.
    • 2017, Alain Mouton, Het geld is op! De financiële putten van België:
      Van de ayatollah van de begrotingssanering die de Gentenaar in de jaren tachtig was, bleef er niet veel over.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

French edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, sign of God, from آيَة (ʔāya, sign) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, God)).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahs)

  1. (Islam) ayatollah
  2. (figuratively, derogatory) strong proponent of something; person behaving tyrannically and despotically in a particular matter

Italian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, sign of God, from آيَة (ʔāya, sign) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, God)).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

ayatollah m (invariable)

  1. ayatollah

Norwegian Bokmål edit

Noun edit

ayatollah m

  1. form removed by a 1984 spelling decision; superseded by ayatolla

Norwegian Nynorsk edit

Noun edit

ayatollah m

  1. (pre-1984) alternative form of ayatolla

Romanian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from French ayatollah, from Iranian Persian آیت‌الله (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه (ʔāyatu llāh, sign of God, from آيَة (ʔāya, sign) +‎ اللّٰه (allāh, God)).

Noun edit

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahi)

  1. ayatollah

Declension edit