muezzin
UK[muːˈɛzɪn]US[muˈɛzɪn]
n
a man who calls Muslims to prayer, usually from a tower (minaret) of a mosque
Etymology
The word 'muezzin' entered English in the late 16th century from Turkish 'müezzin', which itself was borrowed from Arabic 'muʾaḏḏin', meaning 'one who makes the call to prayer'. The Arabic term is the active participle of the verb 'aḏḏana', 'to call to prayer', derived from 'ḏaḏana', 'to listen, hear'. Thus, the term's core meaning is intrinsically linked to the act of vocal proclamation for a religious purpose. It traveled into European languages via the Ottoman Empire, reflecting cultural and linguistic contact. The modern English word retains the specific professional and religious meaning of its Arabic source without morphological segmentation.
Analysis
This word is a loanword borrowed as a single, unanalyzable unit into English from Arabic.
Examples
The muezzin's call to prayer echoed through the quiet streets at dawn.
From the minaret, the muezzin chanted the adhan, summoning the faithful.
The role of the muezzin has been partly modernized with the use of loudspeakers.