What does "hijab" mean?

A traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women, covering the hair and neck.

What is a synonym for "hijab"?

Common synonyms include: niqab, yashmak.

Pronounced //hɪˈd͡ʒɑːb//.

//hɪˈd͡ʒɑːb// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women, covering the hair and neck. countable
"“When I’m dressed like this, they know,” says Lufta Islam, touching her hijab and long dress. ” ‘OK, she’s a Muslim girl.’ “"
2
the custom in some Islamic societies of women dressing modestly outside the home wordnet
3
The practice, among Muslim women, of covering the body after the age of puberty in front of non-related (non-family) adult males. uncountable
"The belief that Muslim females observe hijab because men force them to do so insults some Muslim females who have based their decision on their understanding of Islam."
4
a headscarf worn by Muslim women; conceals the hair and neck and usually has a face veil that covers the face wordnet

"That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it."

From Arabic حِجَاب (ḥijāb, “veil”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.