Alawite, n. and a. Islam.
Brit. /ˈaləwaɪt/, /aləˈwiːt/, U.S. /ˈæləˌwaɪt/, /ˌæləˈwit/
Forms: 19– Alaouite, 19– Alauite, 19– Alawite, 19– ꜥAlawite, 19– Alowite
[‹ Arabic ꜥAlawī Alawi n. + -ite suffix1. Compare slightly earlier Alawi n.
In form Alaouite probably after French alaouite (1927 or earlier).]
A. n. = Alawi n.
| 1925 Times 16 Mar. 19/7 The territory of the Alaouites, where overprinted French stamps are in use at present. 1934 C. Lumby Cook's Traveller's Handbk. Palestine, Syria & Iraq (ed. 6) iii. v. 387 The repeated rebellions of the sectarian Nusairis (Alawites) against the Moslem power in the nineteenth century prevented its [sc. Latakia's] recovering much prosperity. 1945 Amer. Jrnl. Internat. Law 39 420 The Arabs objected to a division of constituencies on religious grounds and criticised the regulations because they separated the Alowites from the Arabs. 1999 J. F. Geniesse Passionate Nomad xiv. 240 The Alawites have..acquired considerable respectability and a new measure of prosperity since Hafiz al-Assad, an Alawite, became Syria's strongman. |
B. adj. = Alawi n.
| 1931 Times 20 Nov. 13/1 The State of Latakia, formerly called the Alawiya or Alaouite State. 1949 R. Pearse Three Years in Levant iv. 37 The deficiency in unmarried girls was met in part by a flourishing market in Alawite servants. 1971 World Archaeol. 3 15 Saida pots are shipped to Alaouite peasants about 150 miles away, who exchange them for dung. 1989 D. Walters Not always with Pack ii. 188 He had at least had a tough climb from being a member of the Alawite minority to the top. |