muhajababe
n.— Note: This term has recently been popularized by Allegra Stratton’s book Muhajababes. «I call them ‘muhajababes’. (Muhajabe means veiled, or wearing the veil, and ‘babe’ speak for itself.)…The majority of the Lebanese female muslims that do go veiled however (and the number differs from region to region), think that this part is open to interpretation, because they are having none of that. They make sure that veil and flare go together. They have perfected the art of wearing a veil with style, and made it into a fashionable item. And the result is in some cases absolutely stunning. It must be said; no one can wear a veil the way the Lebanese ladies can.» —“MuhajaBabes (or; wearing the veil the right way)” by Sietskie Sietske in Beiroet (Beirut, Lebanon) May 15, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A hundred years ago, suffragists lobbied to win women the right to vote. Linguistically speaking, though, suffrage isn’t about “suffering.” It’s from a Latin word that involves voting. Plus: military cadences often include...
One of the most powerful words you’ll ever hear — and one of the most poignant — isn’t in dictionaries yet. But it probably will be one day. The word is endling, and it means “the last surviving member of a species.” The...