Illustration of minaret
minaret
noun
min·a·ret ˌmi-nə-ˈret 
ˈmi-nə-ˌret
: a tall slender tower of a mosque having one or more balconies from which the summons to prayer is cried by the muezzin
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web To the north, from a blue minaret at the center of a tiny village, just a stone's throw from the base, comes the solemn call to evening prayer. 
jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2021 In his new apartment in Fort Worth, the call to prayer now comes from an app, not a minaret. Giovanna Dell'orto And Mariam Fam, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Apr. 2022 Before Mariupol became a target of the biggest land conflict in Europe since World War II, the city promoted the white-walled building and its towering minaret as a scenic attraction. Mstyslav Chernov And Yuras Karmanau, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2022 While carbon dating has confirmed that some building fragments date back 1,400 years (even the still-standing minaret of Al-Shafi’i Mosque dates back 900 years), most of Al-Balad’s tower houses are 200 to 300 years old. Nicole Trilivas, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021 The new masjid and community center are still under construction, though its new minaret, more than 70 feet tall, towers over the street. Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2021 At dawn, the hopeful call to morning prayer rises from the village minaret. jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2021 The loudspeakers on the minaret of the small white-marbled mosque in the corner of the compound came to life, ejecting sharp, static noises. The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2021 An international jury last month chose a project by Egyptian architects led by Salah El Din Samir Hareedy to rebuild the mosque, part of a UNESCO project that will also rebuild the Al-Habda minaret and the churches of Al-Tahera and Al-Saa'a. Colleen Barry, Star Tribune, 22 May 2021 See More
jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2021 In his new apartment in Fort Worth, the call to prayer now comes from an app, not a minaret. Giovanna Dell'orto And Mariam Fam, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Apr. 2022 Before Mariupol became a target of the biggest land conflict in Europe since World War II, the city promoted the white-walled building and its towering minaret as a scenic attraction. Mstyslav Chernov And Yuras Karmanau, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2022 While carbon dating has confirmed that some building fragments date back 1,400 years (even the still-standing minaret of Al-Shafi’i Mosque dates back 900 years), most of Al-Balad’s tower houses are 200 to 300 years old. Nicole Trilivas, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2021 The new masjid and community center are still under construction, though its new minaret, more than 70 feet tall, towers over the street. Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2021 At dawn, the hopeful call to morning prayer rises from the village minaret. jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2021 The loudspeakers on the minaret of the small white-marbled mosque in the corner of the compound came to life, ejecting sharp, static noises. The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2021 An international jury last month chose a project by Egyptian architects led by Salah El Din Samir Hareedy to rebuild the mosque, part of a UNESCO project that will also rebuild the Al-Habda minaret and the churches of Al-Tahera and Al-Saa'a. Colleen Barry, Star Tribune, 22 May 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
French, from Turkish minare, from Arabic manāra lighthouse
First Known Use
1682, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
minaret
noun
min·a·ret ˌmi-nə-ˈret
: a tall slender tower of a mosque with a balcony from which the people are called to prayer