houri

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   in Islamic tradition, one of the beautiful companions of the blessed in Paradise

   The poem describes a houri welcoming the faithful into a garden of Paradise.

2. 2
   noun

   a beautiful or alluring woman, in dated literary use

   The novelist compared the dazzling dancer to a houri from an old romance.

Borrowed through French houri and Persian huri from Arabic huriyya, related to hur, a plural traditionally understood as beings distinguished by the striking contrast of dark irises and bright eyes. European literary use later broadened the word to an alluringly beautiful woman.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary