HIJRA

Etymology

Noun

Hijra

The flight of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib (later Medina) in 622 ce, which forms the first year of the Islamic era (ah 1)

AH: the Islamic era, dated from the Hijra.

The Islamic calendar, dated from the Hijra

Etymology 1

Noun

hijra (plural hijras)

A eunuch in South Asia, especially one who dresses as a woman. [from 19th c.]

A (typically biologically male or intersex, but sometimes biologically female) member of a somewhat feminine third gender found in India and Pakistan.

Usage notes

This term is sometimes considered offensive in Pakistan. A polite alternative is the Urdu خواجه سرا, although this term is rare in English.

Gender activists in Pakistan have promoted khwaja sira as a politically correct alternative to hijra.

Etymology 2

Noun

hijra (plural hijras)

Alternative letter-case form of Hijra

Any similar flight or emigration to a better place.

Usage notes

Usually capitalized in reference to the specific event or the Islamic calendar based upon it.

Source: Wiktionary


Hij"e*ra, Hij"ra (, n.

Definition: See Hegira.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

28 May 2025

AIR

(noun) a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing; “an air of mystery”; “the house had a neglected air”; “an atmosphere of defeat pervaded the candidate’s headquarters”; “the place had an aura of romance”


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Coffee Trivia

The first coffee-house in Mecca dates back to the 1510s. The beverage was in Turkey by the 1530s. It appeared in Europe circa 1515-1519 and was introduced to England by 1650. By 1675 the country had more than 3,000 coffee houses, and coffee had replaced beer as a breakfast drink.

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