Meaning & use
niqab
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A piece of clothing that covers a woman's face, leaving only the eyes visible, worn by some Muslim women.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a niqab' or 'niqabs'.
Patterns
- wear a niqab
- a woman in a niqab
She decided to start wearing a niqab after she got married.
In some countries, the niqab is banned in public buildings.
He saw a woman in a niqab walking down the street.
Word forms
| plural | niqabs |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a niqab
- Many women in the community choose to wear a niqab.
- a woman in a niqab
- A woman in a niqab was standing at the bus stop.
- the niqab ban
- The niqab ban has been debated in several European countries.
- face-covering niqab
- The face-covering niqab is distinct from the headscarf.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: niqab or hijab? niqab or burka?
niqab vs hijab
A hijab covers the hair and neck but not the face, while a niqab covers most of the face as well.
niqab vs burka
A burka is a full-body covering with a mesh screen over the eyes, whereas a niqab usually leaves the eyes uncovered.
Practice
Which word best completes the sentence? 'She wore a ___ that covered her face, leaving only her eyes visible.'
Choose one answer.
'Niqab' fits because it specifically covers the face except the eyes. 'Hijab' covers the hair but not the face, so it doesn't match the description. 'Scarf' and 'hat' are too general and don't imply face covering.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “niqab”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.