dervish

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der·vish

 (dûr′vĭsh)
n.
1. A member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, some of which perform whirling dances and vigorous chanting as acts of ecstatic devotion.
2. One that possesses abundant, often frenzied energy: "[She] is a dervish of unfocused energy, an accident about to happen" (Jane Gross).

[Turkish derviş, mendicant, from Persian darvēš, from Middle Persian driyōš, needy one, one who lives in holy mendicancy, from Old Iranian (Avestan) drigu-; akin to Sanskrit adhriguḥ (a divine epithet of unknown but favorable meaning) : perhaps a-, not + *dhrigu-, poor.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

dervish

(ˈdɜːvɪʃ)
n
(Islam) a member of any of various Muslim orders of ascetics, some of which (whirling dervishes) are noted for a frenzied, ecstatic, whirling dance
[C16: from Turkish: beggar, from Persian darvīsh mendicant monk]
ˈdervish-ˌlike adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

der•vish

(ˈdɜr vɪʃ)

n.
a member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, some of which practice ecstatic dancing and whirling or chanting and shouting.
[1575–85; < Turkish < Persian]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.dervish - an ascetic Muslim monkdervish - an ascetic Muslim monk; a member of an order noted for devotional exercises involving bodily movements
fakeer, fakir, faqir, faquir - a Muslim or Hindu mendicant monk who is regarded as a holy man
whirler, whirling dervish - a dervish whose actions include ecstatic dancing and whirling
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
dervis
derviş

dervish

[ˈdɜːvɪʃ] Nderviche mf (fig) → salvaje mf
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

dervish

nDerwisch m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

dervish

[ˈdɜːvɪʃ] n (Rel) → derviscio
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in periodicals archive ?
And, they could top their special episode off with a frenetic ballroom dancing showcase, with Mommy Dionisia dancing dervish circles around her nonplussed son!
The artists have captured myriad moods and moments from daily life such as the relaxed atmosphere of a traditional tea house and the excitement of a game of buzkashi in Afghanistan; the spirituality of a dancing dervish in Turkey, and the hustle and bustle at a dhow port in Mumbai that no longer exists.
He left behind several papers, one of which said: "Hitler is a dancing dervish.
"Some writers object to Scott's dancing dervish, hen-on-hot bricks tactics when the enemy are approaching, but there are those who see method in his seeming madness, holding that nothing flurries an attack more than a really animated opposition 'keeper."
Motivator walks down far more relaxed than the dancing dervish of the early spring, and once he swings up to lead horse Magic Sting in the gallop, his slightly round action freewheels in hardly impressive fashion.