ayatollah Definition
- 1a high-ranking Shiite religious leader in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon
- 2a title given to the highest-ranking Shiite clerics in Iran
Using ayatollah: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "ayatollah" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The Ayatollah Khomeini was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Example
The Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is a prominent religious leader in Iraq.
Example
The Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was the Supreme Leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989.
Phrases with ayatollah
Ayatollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini (1902-1989), Iranian religious and political leader who founded the Islamic Republic of Iran
Example
The Ayatollah Khomeini was a key figure in the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei (born 1939), Iranian religious and political leader who has been Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989
Example
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the current Supreme Leader of Iran.
Ayatollah Sistani
Ali al-Sistani (born 1930), Iraqi religious leader who is widely respected by Shiites around the world
Example
Ayatollah Sistani played a key role in shaping the post-Saddam political landscape in Iraq.
Origins of ayatollah
from Persian 'āyatollāh', meaning 'sign of God'
Summary: ayatollah in Brief
An 'ayatollah' [ahy-uh-toh-luh] is a high-ranking Shiite religious leader in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. It is also a title given to the highest-ranking Shiite clerics in Iran. Prominent figures include the Ayatollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a respected religious leader in Iraq.
