mufti1
/ˈmʌfti
/noun (plural muftis)
A Muslim legal expert who is empowered to give rulings on religious matters.The Muslim community is governed by the Supreme Muslim Council under the Chief Mufti (religious judge), with a hierarchy of regional muftis, imams, and religious teachers....
- They chopped off the heads of Christian monks and Muslim muftis.
- Historically, fatwas were independent of the judicial system, although some muftis were officially attached to various courts.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Arabic muftī, active participle of 'aftā 'decide a point of law'.
Rhymes
mufti2
/ˈmʌfti/noun [mass noun]
Plain clothes worn by a person who wears a uniform for their job, such as a soldier or police officer: a High Court judge in mufti...
- Irregular forces that choose to fight in mufti and from ambush will be able to dramatically decrease the range.
- It was the same night, a well-known director-cinematographer said he was roughed up by an allegedly drunken policeman in mufti.
- The killers turned out to be policemen in mufti - employees of the West Bengal government!
Origin
Early 19th century: perhaps humorously from mufti1.