niqab

noun

ni·​qab ni-ˈkäb How to pronounce niqab (audio)
variants or less commonly niqaab
: a veil for covering the hair and face except for the eyes that is worn by some Muslim women

Examples of niqab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Few women wore a hijab, let alone a burqa or a niqab (a full-faced veil). — Kenan Malik, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2015 Many devout Muslim women cover their faces with a niqab or burqa. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025 At the entrance to the main Kabul branch, a sign tells women to correctly wear niqab, a specific type of Islamic headscarf. — Riazat Butt, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2024 Women in black abayas with niqabs covering their faces worked as volunteers, pointing fans towards the tight security at the stadium entrance. — James Montague, New York Times, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for niqab

Word History

Etymology

Arabic niqāb

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of niqab was in 1936

Rhymes for niqab

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Browse Nearby Words

nip-up
niqab
Nirgrantha
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Niqab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/niqab. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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