Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The branch of Islam that accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successors of Muhammad.
  • noun A Muslim belonging to this branch; a Sunnite.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An orthodox Moslem; a Sunnite.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun The branch of Islam based on the Qur'an, the Kutub al-Sittah (and other hadiths) and that places emphasis on the sahaba.
  • noun countable A follower of that belief.
  • adjective Related to the Sunni branch of Islam.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a member of the branch of Islam that accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successors to Muhammad
  • noun one of the two main branches of orthodox Islam

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Arabic sunnī, adherent of the Sunna, from sunna, customary practice, tradition; see Sunna.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Arabic سنة (súnna) (Sunna)

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Examples

  • Shame on you Reuters for using the term "Sunni district!"

    Reuters: Top News 2011

  • Shame on you Reuters for using the term "Sunni district!"

    Reuters: Top News 2011

  • Shame on you Reuters for using the term "Sunni district!"

    Reuters: Top News 2011

  • But of course, awaiting their reply, we'll consult among ourselves the four lists -- the Kurdish Alliance, the Accord List, which you call the Sunni list, ourselves and the (inaudible), which is the Dialogue Council.

    CNN Transcript Mar 5, 2006 2006

  • CHANCE: Well, we do seem to be seeing a pattern develop where this insurgency, which has mainly been focused on the Sunni areas, what we call the Sunni Triangle to the immediate north and to the west of Baghdad, spread out to other areas of the country as well.

    CNN Transcript Nov 16, 2003 2003

  • (Sunni comes from the Arabic word Sunna, meaning “tradition.

    Muslims, Shi'ite and Sunni 2002

  • They are able to do that because their billions of dollars trained cadres of Shiites proselytizing in Sunni countries.

    How Iran Could Save the Middle East 2009

  • It was widely believed that members of the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki controlled violent gangs that targeted rivals in Sunni neighborhoods.

    Iraqis Hope WikiLeaks Will Shed Light On Brutal Past 2010

  • Now he's back, in a new Iraq where he, a Sunni, is known for the song, but cannot perform it.

    POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: September 08, 2009 2009

  • Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, recently told me that he has sensed an oncoming revolution in Sunni thinking.

    How Iran Could Save the Middle East 2009

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