burqa
UK[ˈbɜːkə]US[ˈbɜːrkə]
n
a long, loose piece of clothing that covers the whole body, including the head and face, worn in public by some muslim women.
Etymology
the english word 'burqa' is a direct borrowing from the arabic 'burquʿ', which refers to the face-veiling garment. it entered english in the late 19th to early 20th century, primarily through colonial and travel accounts describing the clothing customs in parts of the middle east and south asia. the arabic term itself is of ancient semitic origin, with cognates in other languages like aramaic, pointing to a long history of similar garments in the region. the word's journey into english reflects the language's practice of adopting specific cultural terms to describe items for which no native english equivalent exists.
Analysis
this word is a loanword borrowed as a single, unanalyzable unit into english from arabic.
Examples
she chose to wear a burqa in accordance with her personal interpretation of her faith.
the debate over the wearing of the burqa in public spaces continues in several european countries.
the blue burqa stood out against the dusty landscape.