shaitan

See also: Shaitan

English

Alternative forms

• shaytan, sheytân, sheitan

Etymology

From Arabic شَيْطَان (šayṭān, “satan, devil”). Doublet of Satan.

Pronunciation

• (MLE) IPA^(key): /ˈʃeɪtan/

Noun

shaitan (plural shaitans)

1. (Islam) a demon/devil; or evil jinn.
   • 2014, Zuckermann, Ghil‘ad, Burning issues in Afro-Asiatic linguistics, page 141:

     '... hence, we are always malā'ika (angels), forgetting that ashayṭān was once a malāk (angel).

   • 2014, Zuckermann, Ghil‘ad, Burning issues in Afro-Asiatic linguistics, page 140:

     '... 'A man and a jinni became friends. One day, the man asked the jinni, 'How come you look like a real human being?' [The jinni answered,]'We... shayāṭīn 'devils/demons' appear to people in whatever form we want, and we disappear whenever we want.'.

2. (India, archaic) A dust storm.
   • 1888, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:

     Dust columns are called shaitans or devils by the Beloochees, who have a superstitious feeling with regard to them.

   • 1925, Henry Michael Collins, From pigeon post to wireless, page 158:

     The dust borne in these shaitans of wind is often carried for vast distances […]

See also

• jinn
• jann
• nasnas
• ghoul
• angel

Anagrams

• Ashanti, Sanhita, T'ai-shan, Tai Shan, Taishan, Tanisha, anthias, tahinas

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from English shaitan, from Arabic شَيْطَان (šayṭān).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ʃajˈtɐ̃/ [ʃaɪ̯ˈtɐ̃]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʃajˈtan/

• Hyphenation: shai‧tan

Noun

shaitan m (plural shaitans)

1. (Arab mythology) shaitan (an evil djinn or devil)