dhimmi

English

Etymology

From French dhimmi, from Arabic ذِمِّيّ (ḏimmiyy, “a dhimmi”), from ذِمَّة (ḏimma, “protection, custody”).

Pronunciation

• (anglicized) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪmi/; (emulating Arabic) IPA^(key): /ˈðɪm.(m)iː/

Noun

dhimmi (plural dhimmis)

1. (Islam, chiefly historical) A protected and specially taxed non-Muslim subject of a state governed under dhimma, a form of social contract, in accordance with sharia law.
2. (offensive) A non-Muslim characterized by a conciliatory stance towards Islam, abstaining from articulating opposing beliefs and refraining from criticizing the religion.
   • 2010, B. Warner, The Islamic Doctrine of Women (Taste of Islam series)‎^[1], CSPI, LLC, →ISBN:

     Dhimmis do not believe that Mohammed was a prophet, but they never say anything that would displease a Muslim. Dhimmis never offend Islam and condemn any analysis that is critical of Islam as being biased.

Alternative forms

• zhimmi, zimme, zimmi

Derived terms

• dhimmitude

See also

• jizya
• harbi

Further reading

• “dhimmi”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.