Sunni

[ soon-ee ]

noun

, Islam.

1. Also called Sunnite. a member of one of the two great religious divisions of Islam, regarding the first four caliphs as legitimate successors of Muhammad and stressing the importance of Sunna as a basis for law. Compare Shiʿite.
2. (used with a plural verb) the Sunni Muslims.

Sunni

/ ˈsʌnɪ /

noun

1. one of the two main branches of orthodox Islam (the other being the Shiah), consisting of those who acknowledge the authority of the Sunna
2. See Sunnite
   -nis-ni another term for Sunnite

Other Words From

• Sunnism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sunni¹

1620–30; < Arabic sunnī, derivative of sunnah Sunna

Example Sentences

While no one has claimed responsibility as yet, Afghanistan’s Shiite Muslim minority have long come under attack from Sunni extremists, including Islamic State terrorists.

From The Daily Beast

No less so for those belonging to ethnic groups and Islamic sects other than the Sunni and predominantly Pashtun Taliban.

From Ozy

It has carefully cultivated relations with key domestic stakeholders in Turkey, including the Taliban and warlords opposed to the militant Sunni group.

From Ozy

Sunni extremism would dramatically diminish if its Saudi oil financing expired.

From Time

Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia have fought proxy wars in Yemen, Syria and beyond.

From Ozy

Within a few years, Iran had jailed or driven from the country more than 60 Sunni clerics.

From The Daily Beast

Riots broke out in 1994, after Iranian authorities replaced a Sunni mosque in Mashad with a development project.

From The Daily Beast

The Baluch in Iran do not speak Farsi but Baluchi, just like the Baluch in Pakistan, and in Iran they are a Sunni minority.

From The Daily Beast

When a popular Sunni televangelist does it, to forgive is divine.

From The Daily Beast

A Shiite stronghold wrapped in a Sunni explosive belt—not exactly a picture of stability.

From The Daily Beast

The troops in his army upon whom he placed most reliance were the Afghans and Tartars, who were of the Sunni persuasion.

From Project Gutenberg

The field contains but few adventitious designs and they are rarely animal, as the Afghans are Sunni Mohammedans.

From Project Gutenberg

The religion was that of Islam, and the sect the orthodox Sunni; but the practice was less precise than in Arabia.

From Project Gutenberg

(e) Shiite Moslems outnumber the Sunni, and make about one twenty-fifth of the whole.

From Project Gutenberg

The struggle between Shiah and Sunni was dividing the world of Islam.

From Project Gutenberg