mohafa

M3O1H4A1F4A1

A form of mihaffa — Various forms of covered animal-borne litters, chiefly for female passengers.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

nounmohafa (plural mohafas)

plural mohafas

  1. alternativeAlternative form of mihaffa.
    2 more examples

    Khawja Rubens agreeably to his promiſe ſent ſixty-two camels for thirty-one loads, and we had nineteen camels for carrying our tents, proviſions and water, besides two alternately to carry a mohafa... The walk we found diſagreeable, and at firſt a great ſtrain on the loins and back, but the amble is like the ſame pace of a large horſe and not unpleaſant. Cadeo being ill was put into the mohafa.

    1785, James Capper, Observations on the Passage to India, through Egypt, Also by Vienna through Constantinople to Aleppo, and from Thence by Baghdad, and Directly across the Great Desert, to Bassora..., pages 187-188

    Mohafa. This is the palanquin of rich females... it is entirely covered with a red lianging, and has no other ornament than a ball of copper at the top of the bambou... The Mohafa is carried by four servants, and attended by a number proportioned to the rank of the lady... Nevertheless the women who conform strictly to the precepts of their religion, are attended but by four bearers, however great their fortune.

    1811, F. Baltazard Solvyns, Les Hindoûs, Vol. III, Plate IV

Origin

  1. Arabicحَفَّ“to enclose, to border”
  2. Arabicمِحَفَّة
  3. Persianمحافه
  4. Urduمحافہ
  5. Hindiमुहाफ़ा
  6. Englishmohafa

From Hindi मुहाफ़ा (muhāfā) and Urdu محافہ (muḥāfa), from Persian محافه (miḥâfah) and Arabic مِحَفَّة (miḥaffa), related to Arabic حَفَّ (ḥaffa, “to enclose, to border”).

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

mohafa. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mohafa

MLA

“mohafa.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mohafa. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mohafa,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mohafa.

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