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] N → derviche 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

n → Derwisch 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
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References in periodicals archive ?
Others, such as "flopwing" derive from the noises made by their batlike wings as they cavort like dancing dervishes, diving, twisting and soaring in their breathtaking displays.
Seeds of change might aid dwindling species; Country view
Such tales might appear unbelievable to skeptical Muslims but Frembgen's documentations place the readers in an environment of peace, mystical stories and dancing dervishes. He takes the readers to the hidden highlands of Pakistan away from city violence, where people simply want to devote themselves to God.
Melodies of the Heart
Their "heart" is said to be the Turkish city of Konya, the home of the dancing dervishes and of the most famous representative of this religion, Mevlana Celaleddini Rumi, who is said to have inspired the dance of the whirling dervishes.
Sites of the World's Cultures: Konya and the Whirling Dervishes Available on DVD April 30

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