Meanings
plural muhafas
- alternativeAlternative form of mihaffa.
muḥāfa, m. (properly mihaffa) a pālkī, a kind of litter in which women travel. a.
1848, Duncan Forbes, A Dictionary, Hindustani & English, page 4832 more examples
When this reply was reported to Meer Roostum Khan, he got into his muhafa and went to Meer Alli Moorad, who repeated to him that he had been put to great expense, which he must recover...
1850 April 29, Robert Keith Pringle, Testimony of Sooleman Abdar, Proceedings of the Commission Appointed to Investigate the Conduct of His Highness Meer Allee MooradThe Muslim ladies who earlier moved out in covered palanquins, dolis and muhafas or completely veiled coaches and victorias are now obliged to go about in tongas, rikshaws and buses leaving aside the earlier scruples.
1972, Abulhasan 'Ali Nadvi, The Musalman, page 42
Origin
- Arabicحَفَّ“to enclose, to border”
- Arabicمِحَفَّة
- Persianمحافه
- Urduمحافہ
- Hindiमुहाफ़ा
- Englishmuhafa
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”).
More words from Hindi, Urdu, Persian
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
muhafa. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/muhafa
“muhafa.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/muhafa. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “muhafa,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/muhafa.
Source: muhafa on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.