dhikr

D2H4I1K5R1
/ðikɹ/

noun

A Sufi Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually.

OriginArabic ذِكْر (ḏikr) →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

noundhikr (plural dhikrs or adhkar)

plural dhikrs · plural adhkar · alternative zikr

  1. IslamA Sufi Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually.

    We prayed together and we practised dhikr, the recitation of the ninety-nine revealed names of God.

    2001, Yann Martel, Life of Pi
    1 more example

    When all had eaten and prayed the first night prayer, they began to recite their dhikr, then they began the musical recital.

    1958-1994, Hamilton Gibb & CF Beckingham, in The Travels of Ibn Battutah, Folio Society 2012, p. 62

Origin

  1. Arabicذَكَرَ (ḏakara)
  2. Arabicذِكْر (ḏikr)
  3. Englishdhikr

Borrowed from Arabic ذِكْر (ḏikr).

More words from Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic ذِكْر
  • ذِكْر (ḏikr)(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Hindi ज़िक्र, जिक्र
  • ज़िक्र (zikra)(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
  • जिक्र (jikra)(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Indonesian zikir
  • zikir(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Japanese ズィクル, ジクル
  • ズィクル(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
  • ジクル(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Malay zikir
  • zikir(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Persian ذکر
  • ذکر (zekr)(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Russian зикр
  • зикр (zikr)(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Swahili dhikiri
  • dhikiri(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Tamil ஜிக்ர்
  • ஜிக்ர் (jikr)(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Turkish zikir
  • zikir(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Urdu ذکر
  • ذکر (zikr)(Sufism) an Islamic prayer whereby a phrase or expression of praise is repeated continually
Cite this entry
APA

dhikr. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dhikr

MLA

“dhikr.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dhikr. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dhikr,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dhikr.

Source: dhikr on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.