dervish

American  

[dur-vish] / ˈdɜr vɪʃ /

noun

1. a member of any of various Muslim ascetic orders, as the Sufis, some of which carry on ecstatic observances, such as energetic dancing and whirling or vociferous chanting or shouting.

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dervish British  

/ ˈdɜːvɪʃ /

noun

1. a member of any of various Muslim orders of ascetics, some of which ( whirling dervishes ) are noted for a frenzied, ecstatic, whirling dance

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Other Word Forms

• dervish-like adjective

Etymology

Origin of dervish

1575–85; < Turkish < Persian darvīsh poor man, beggar

Example Sentences

“We’ve been here for less than three years and that’s been a whirling dervish of activity,” Boehly said in March.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 11, 2025

His Sale team-mate Ben Curry, winning his 11th cap, was a dervish, winning turnovers and collisions alike.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2025

It’s a tough job, but Rebecca, an ebullient, wisecracking, fist-bumping whirling dervish, is more than up to the task and Sherman plays the offbeat role to the hilt.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 25, 2023

She's got this interesting mixture, but she's basically a whirling dervish of a human being.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2023

I expect her to stay facing the wall, but instead she continues turning, spinning in some kind of dervish.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen