Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🕌 A Muslim (old term) 📜 Islamic (old term)
Mohammedan

Mohammedan

9.9
A word that describes something connected with Islam, now an old and offensive word
  • adjective
  • /məˈhædən/
  • Slur
translation icon : mahometano
  • Followers of the Mohammedan faith do not belong to a single race, just as those of the Christian faith belong to all races.

Examples

  • The Mohammedan calendar marks significant events in the life of Muhammad and the early Islamic community.

  • They are rooted in a fantastic amalgam of pagan customs, magical beliefs, Mohammedan practices, Christian doctrines, and, most of all, contadino peasant pragmatism...

    Academic text (2003)

  • Many cultures have been influenced by Mohammedan teachings throughout history.

  • In earlier texts, you may frequently find references to Mohammedan traditions that shaped various civilizations.

Synonyms

Islamic
vsMohammedan
357 2.5

Relating to Islam, its people, and their culture

is specific to the founder and doctrine rather than broader culture
Moslem
vsMohammedan
  • Archaic
3 9.3

Relating to Islam or the people who follow it

is viewed as old fashioned and less acceptable than preferred term
Muhammadan
vsMohammedan
  • Archaic
9.3

Relating to Muhammad or the religion of Islam, used in older texts

is now considered archaic and often inappropriate in modern use

Compounds

Mohammedan calendar
  • Offensive
9.7

Muslims use a moon-based calendar to date religious events and festivals

Surface Forms

Mohammedan positive

Morphology

Mohammedan = Mohammed (transparent) = Mohammed + an

Formed from the personal name plus the productive adjectival suffix '-an' meaning 'relating to'; the relation is direct though the term is archaic and often inappropriate.

Etymology

Mohammedan as an adjective was made the same way from Muhammad + -an, meaning 'related to' or 'of Muhammad', similar to how American means 'of America'. Because it makes people sound as if they only belong to a person, this use is now old-fashioned and 'Islamic' or 'Muslim' are better words to use.