aba
a long cloak worn traditionally by Iraqi men
abayah
the long black cloak worn traditionally by Iraqi women
abu
father
agal
a dark rope which holds an Arab tribesman's headscarf (kaffiyeh) in place
ahlan wusahlan
welcome
ahl-es-suq
people of the market
Allah wiyach
God be with you (feminine form)
asha
woman's head scarf
ayb
shame
ayyamak sa'ida
May your day be happy (a greeting used on feast days in Iraq)
baksheesh
a tip
bayt, byut
house, houses
bint-amm
female cousin, father's brother's daughter
bint-khaal
female cousin, mother's brother's daughter
chobi
a line dance performed by men or boys
dabka
a man's line dance
dafna
burying ceremony
dishdasha
the basic garment which is part of the streetwear of both sexes in Iraq; a long garment made like a night shirt
diwan
reception room
effendi
originally a Turkish civil servant; now generally an educated man who wears Western clothes
el hamdillah
thanks be to God
enshallah
God willing
faisanjan
a Persian chicken dish, with walnut oil and the juice of dried pomegranate seeds
fellah, fellahin
farmer, farmers
fiimaanila
goodbye; literally, "go with God's blessing"
fils
a coin worth about three cents; 100 fils make up the Iraqi sterling pound or dinar, worth $2.85
foota
scarf; used by Iraqi women to mean chin scarf
gaymar
the butterfat remaining on top of water-buffalo milk after it has been boiled and cooled
ghee
clarified butter
haji, hijjiya
terms of address for the man or woman who has completed the pilgrimage to Mecca
haji
the pilgrimage to Mecca
halal
ritually permissible as opposed to haram
haram
ritually forbidden; sin
hashmiya
a loose gown worn by southern Iraqi women on ceremonial occasions
hilwa
attractive (feminine)
hiluu
attractive (masculine)
hiriz
a charm or amulet
hosa
a tribal war dance of southern Iraq
ibn-amm
male cousin, father's brother's son
ibn-khaal
male cousin, mother's brother's son
Iid el-Fitr
the feast of fast-breaking, following Ramadan
Iid el-Adha
the feast of sacrifice; the feast of the tenth day of the month of pilgrimage
imam
a religious leader; may also refer to the shrine or the tomb of the religious leader
kaffiyeh
the headscarf worn by Arab tribesmen
khubuz
flat wheat or barley bread
khubuz laham
flatbread with meat and spices baked into it
kohl
powdered antimony, used as eye makeup
kraya
a religious reading, common in Shiite communities
kubba
a dish common throughout the Middle East: a past of rice, or of meat and cracked wheat, is filled with meat, onions, spices, raisins, then fried or baked
leban
in Iraq, yogurt mixed with water
maasalaama
farewell; literally, "go in safety"
mashallah
what wonders God hath willed; i.e. wonderful!
may khallif
never mind
minbar
the niche in the mosque which faces toward Mecca
mudhif
tribal guest house in southern Iraq
muezzin
the man who, from the minaret of the mosque, calls the Muslim faithful to prayer
Muharram
month in the Islamic lunar calendar during which Hussein and Ali, the grandsons of the prophet Mohammed, were slain
mukhtar
title given to the man in charge of the market
mullah
Muslim religious teacher, man or woman
mushtamal
garden cottage in town
muwadhifin
government civil servants
nitwanness
we are here to enjoy ourselves
oud
a stringed instrument, like a lute
patcha
Middle Eastern dish, made by boiling the sheep's feet, head, and stomach
purdah
an Indian term generally meaning the seclusion of women in separate quarters
Ramadan
Muslim month of fasting
salaam alaykum
peace be unto you
sammoon haar
hot bread
Sayid
a descendant of the prophet Mohammed
serifa huts
rough makeshift houses built of mud and mats
shabih
passion play
Shiite
a sect of Islam; the followers of Ali
shlonich
how are you? (feminine form)
sirdab
summer cellar; a room dug into the ground for greater coolness
Sitt
term of polite addressed used for an educated woman
Sunni
the largest sect of Islam
suq
market
sura
a chapter or section of the Quran
taaziya
mourning ceremony, including a procession of young men who ritually flagellate themselves during the Shiite commemoration of Ashur, the tenth of Muharram, day when Hussein and Ali were slain
tamurhindi
a datelike fruit from India; used in Iraqi cooking to make a cold drink
tiji daayman
come often
tikka
grilled lamb meat
um
mother
yallah
let's go
