Meaning & use
hijabi
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A woman or girl who wears a hijab, a head covering worn by some Muslim women.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a hijabi or two hijabis, though the plural is less common.
Patterns
- a hijabi
- a hijabi woman
- be a hijabi
She is a hijabi and covers her hair when she goes out.
The panel included a hijabi who spoke about her experiences at work.
My cousin became a hijabi after she finished university.
adjectivebefore a noun
Describing a woman or girl who wears a hijab.
Grammar: Used before a noun, as in a hijabi woman. It is not usually used after a verb.
Patterns
- a hijabi woman
- a hijabi student
- a hijabi model
A hijabi woman opened the door and welcomed us in.
She is the first hijabi athlete to join the national team.
The magazine featured a hijabi model on its cover.
Word forms
| plural | hijabis |
|---|
Common combinations
- a hijabi woman
- A hijabi woman led the workshop on diversity.
- a hijabi student
- The hijabi student asked a thoughtful question.
- a hijabi model
- The brand hired a hijabi model for its summer campaign.
- become a hijabi
- She decided to become a hijabi at the age of sixteen.
Synonyms and how they differ
- veiled
- Veiled can mean wearing a veil, but it is broader and not specific to the hijab; hijabi is more precise.
- headscarf-wearing
- This is a descriptive phrase rather than a single word; hijabi is the usual term in Muslim communities.
Word family
- hijab noun
- The head covering itself.
Commonly confused: hijabi or hijab?
hijabi vs hijab
Hijab is the piece of clothing; hijabi is the person who wears it.
Practice
Which sentence uses hijabi correctly?
Choose one answer.
Hijabi describes a woman who wears a hijab, so 'The hijabi woman' is correct. 'Hijabi' is not the cloth itself (A), not used for men (B), and not a verb (D).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hijabi”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.