Hegira

[ hi-jahy-ruh, hej-er-uh ]

noun

1. Islam. a variant spelling of Hijra ( def ).
2. (lowercase) Also hejira. any flight or journey to a more desirable or congenial place.

Hegira

/ ˈhɛdʒɪrə /

noun

1. the departure of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina in 622 ad ; the starting point of the Muslim era
2. the Muslim era itself See also AH
3. often not capital an emigration escape or flight

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hegira¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin, from Arabic hijrah “emigration, flight, departure,” a derivative of the verb hajara “he departed”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hegira¹

C16: from Medieval Latin, from Arabic hijrah emigration or flight

Example Sentences

There appear to be some discrepancies in the Year of the Hegira, particularly in the sidenotes.

From Project Gutenberg

The Mahommedan year is a lunar one, about 11 days shorter than the Christian; allowance must be made for this in translating Hegira dates into Christian dates; thus A.H.

From Project Gutenberg

It has thus come to pass that "The Removal" is a great epoch in our annals—our Hegira—the A. U. C. of all Quodlibetarians.

From Project Gutenberg

It was his Hegira, whence he returned a full-fledged Prophet of the French.

From Project Gutenberg

Father Montoya, chief Jesuit, has left an account of the Hegira which he led down the river.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• escape
• evacuation
• exit
• exodus
• flight
• passage
• removal
• retirement
• retreat
• separation
• takeoff
• walkout
• withdrawal