ayatollah

• ayatolla

Borrowed from Persian آیت‌الله‎ (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه‎ (ʾāyatu llāh, “sign of God”), from آيَة‎ (ʾāya, “sign”) + اللّٰه‎ (allāh, “God”).

ayatollah (plural ayatollahs)

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

Borrowed from Persian آیت‌الله‎ (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه‎ (ʾāyatu llāh, “sign of God”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌaː.jaːˈtɔ.laː/

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• Hyphenation: aya‧tol‧lah

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahs, diminutive ayatollaatje n)

1. 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 quote)

Borrowed from Persian آیت‌الله‎ (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه‎ (ʾāyatu llāh, “sign of God”), from آيَة‎ (ʾāya, “sign”) + اللّٰه‎ (allāh, “God”).

• IPA^(key): /a.ja.tɔ.la/

ayatollah m (plural ayatollahs)

1. ayatollah

Borrowed from Persian آیت‌الله‎ (âyatollâh), from Arabic آيَةُ اللّٰه‎ (ʾāyatu llāh, “sign of God”), from آيَة‎ (ʾāya, “sign”) + اللّٰه‎ (allāh, “God”).

ayatollah m (invariable)

1. ayatollah