hegira: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Historical
Quick answer
What does “hegira” mean?
A journey or migration, especially a flight to escape danger or an oppressive situation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A journey or migration, especially a flight to escape danger or an oppressive situation.
Any significant exodus or departure of a large group of people. In a figurative sense, it can refer to a spiritual journey or a major shift in direction for an individual or organisation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning differences. UK usage may show a slightly higher frequency in historical/archival contexts due to historical colonial links to the Middle East.
Connotations
Similar in both variants: formal, historical, and slightly academic.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday language in both regions. More likely encountered in academic history, religious studies, or high-literary works.
Grammar
How to Use “hegira” in a Sentence
The [GROUP] made a hegira from [PLACE A] to [PLACE B].The [EVENT] triggered a hegira of [PEOPLE].His [PERSONAL CRISIS] led to a spiritual hegira.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hegira” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form in use. Archaic/rare 'hegira' as a verb is obsolete.]
American English
- [No standard verb form in use. Archaic/rare 'hegira' as a verb is obsolete.]
adverb
British English
- [No adverb form.]
American English
- [No adverb form.]
adjective
British English
- [No standard adjective form. 'Hegiran' or 'Hegira-related' might be coined in specialist texts.]
American English
- [No standard adjective form. 'Hegiran' or 'Hegira-related' might be coined in specialist texts.]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear metaphorically in analysis: 'The company's hegira from its traditional markets proved disastrous.'
Academic
Common in historical, religious, and sociological texts to describe mass migrations or the specific event of 622 AD.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation. Would be considered highly unusual.
Technical
Specific term in Islamic history and calendar reckoning (the Hijri calendar begins with the Hegira).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hegira”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hegira”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hegira”
- Misspelling as 'hejira', 'hedgira'. Incorrectly using it for a routine trip. Mispronouncing the 'g' as hard /g/ instead of /dʒ/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes from Medieval Latin 'hegira', from Arabic 'hijrah' (هِجْرَة), meaning 'departure', 'exodus', or 'flight', specifically referring to the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina.
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word. It is primarily used in historical, academic, or literary contexts and is rare in everyday speech.
While similar, 'hegira' often carries a more specific historical/religious connotation (referencing the Islamic event) and can imply a search for freedom or a new beginning. 'Exodus' is more general for any mass departure and is more common in modern usage.
The most common American pronunciation is /hɪˈdʒaɪrə/ (hi-JY-ruh), with the stress on the second syllable. An alternative is /ˈhɛdʒərə/ (HEJ-er-uh).
A journey or migration, especially a flight to escape danger or an oppressive situation.
Hegira is usually formal, literary, historical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly use 'hegira'. The concept is often expressed idiomatically as 'vote with one's feet' or 'make a break for it'.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'HE had to GET IRA' [out of somewhere]. He made a HEGIRA to escape.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY; ESCAPE IS MOVEMENT TO A SAFE HAVEN.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'Hegira' most precisely and correctly used?