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burqa

burqa

6 7.5
A long loose garment that covers the whole body and face, worn by some Muslim women
  • noun
  • /ˈbɜr.kə/
translation icon : burka
  • The burqa is designed to cover the entire body, allowing only the eyes to be seen.
  • wearing a burqa
  • burqa ban
  • burqa wearer

I'm with the people who keep women in burkas because I'm a liberal.

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Examples

  • The burqa is harmful not only to the wearer but to others as well.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Wearing the burqa is also hazardous to health in other ways.

    Academic text (2010)
  • What about those women who claim wearing a burqa makes them feel closer to God?

    Academic text (2010)
  • Many of these women have even stated that they have chosen the burqa or niqab as a way to express their faith.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Recent estimates suggest that approximately 2,000 women in France wear the niqab or burqa in public.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Three months later, Spanish lawmakers debated banning the burqa in public, although they ultimately decided against it.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Andr Gerin, a French parliamentarian, has described the burqa as a "moving prison."

    Academic text (2010)
  • Many feminists have pointed to the burqa as a historical symbol and tool of men's oppression of women.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Many women in Afghanistan wear a burqa to follow their cultural traditions.

  • In some countries, laws regulate when women can wear a burqa in public places.

Antonyms

88 3.9

Making a secret or hidden thing known to people

nakedness
  • NSFW
15 2.8

Being without clothes and feeling exposed

How Covered

burqa
6 7.5
niqab
2 9.2
chador
4 9.3
hijab
18 5.2
scarf
134 1.0

Surface Forms

burqa singular
burqas plural

Etymology

Burqa comes from Arabic and Persian words that mean 'veil' or 'face covering', and it came into English through Urdu and other South Asian languages. So a burqa today is a long outer garment that covers the whole body, often with a covered or grated opening for the eyes.