purdahnoun [ U ]
uk/ˈpɜː.də/us/ˈpɝː.də/the custom, found in some Muslim and Hindu cultures, of keeping women from being seen by men they are not related to, by having them live in a separate part of the house or behind a curtain, and having them wear clothing that covers the whole body, including the face :
The women in the village live in (strict) purdah.
In this region women seldom venture out of purdah.
the state of not seeing or speaking to anyone:
Jeff has gone into purdah while he's preparing for his exams.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Islam
- caliphate
- fatwa
- hadj
- hajj
- halal
- Hegira
- jihad
- jihadi
- Mecca
- minaret
- Mohammedan
- Muslim
- prayer mat
- Ramadan
- salaam
- sharia
- Shiism
- the Qur'an
- veil
- yashmak
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Hinduism
Religious practices
Separateness and isolation in space