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Added 10 October 2026

dervish

/ˈdɜːvɪʃ/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about dervish at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An ascetic Muslim monk; a member of an order noted for devotional exercises involving bodily movements.

Origin

From Ottoman Turkish درویش (derviş), from Persian درویش (darvêš, “poor; Sufi mystic”), from Middle Persian dlgwš (driyōš, “poor, needy”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *drigu-, cognate with Sanskrit ध्रिगु (dhrigu, “needy”) and Avestan 𐬛𐬭𐬌𐬔𐬎 (driguš).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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