shaitan

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shai·tan

(shī-tän′, shā-)

n. Islam

1. Shaitan The Devil; Satan.

2. An evil spirit.

[Arabic šayṭān, from Ge'ez śayṭān, from Aramaic sāṭānā, from Hebrew śāṭān; see śṭn in Semitic roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Shaitan

(ʃaɪˈtɑːn)

(in Muslim countries) n

(Islam)

a. Satan

b. any evil spirit

c. a vicious person or animal

[C17: from Arabic shaytān, from Hebrew śātān; see Satan]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Shai•tan

or Shei•tan

(ʃaɪˈtɑn)

n.

(in Islam) Satan; the devil.

[< Arabic Shayṭān, c. Hebrew śātān Satan]

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Noun

shaitan - (Islam) a rebellious jinni who leads men astray

shaytan

Mohammedanism, Muhammadanism, Muslimism, Islam, Islamism - the monotheistic religious system of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran; "Islam is a complete way of life, not a Sunday religion"; "the term Muhammadanism is offensive to Muslims who believe that Allah, not Muhammad, founded their religion"

djinn, djinni, djinny, genie, jinnee, jinni - (Islam) an invisible spirit mentioned in the Koran and believed by Muslims to inhabit the earth and influence mankind by appearing in the form of humans or animals

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References in classic literature ?

'Child, thou art beyond all dispute the most shameless son of Shaitan that I have ever known to take up a poor girl's time with this play, and then to say: "Is not the jest enough?" Thou wilt go very far in this world.' She gave the dancing-girls' salutation in mockery.

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In pre-Islamic Arabic literature, a poet and tribal dignitary whose poetic utterances were deemed supernaturally inspired by such spirits as jinn and shaitans. As such, his word was believed to be necessary to insure the success of certain tribal activities, particularly war, grazing, and the invocation of the gods.

sha`h;ir

In the system of evil jinn outlined by the Arab writer al-Jahiz, the shaitans are identified simply as unbelieving jinn.