ulema

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: u=le=ma

CIDE DICTIONARY

ulema, n. [Turk. & Ar. 'ulamā the wise or learned men, pl. of 'ālim wise, learned, fr. alima to know.].

 A college or body composed of the hierarchy (the imams, or ministers of religion, the muftis, or doctors of law, and the cadis, or administrators of justice). That of Turkey alone now has political power; its head is the sheik ul Islam.
"This definition was written ca. 1900. The government of Turkey in 1998 is exclusively secular, whereas Iran in 2001 is dominated by Moslem clergy."  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ulema, n.
1 a body of Muslim doctors of sacred law and theology.
2 a member of this.

Etymology

Arab. ' ulama pl. of ' alim learned f. ' alama know

ROGET THESAURUS

ulema

Judge

N judge, justice, justiciar, justiciary, chancellor, justice of assize, judge of assize, recorder, common sergeant, puisne judge, assistant judge, county court judge, conservator of the peace, justice of the peace, J, P, court, magistrate, police magistrate, beak, his worship, his honor, his lordship, jury, twelve men in a box, Lord Chancellor, Lord Justice, Master of the Rolls, Vice Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice, Chief Baron, Mr, Justice, Associate Justice, Chief Justice, Baron, Baron of the Exchequer, jurat, assessor, arbiter, arbitrator, umpire, referee, referendary, revising barrister, domesman, censor, barmaster, ephor, grand juror, grand juryman, juryman, talesman, archon, tribune, praetor, syndic, podesta, mollah, ulema, mufti, cadi, kadi, Rhadamanthus, litigant, judicial, a Daniel come to judgment.

Clergy

N clergy, clericals, ministry, priesthood, presbytery, the cloth, the desk, clergyman, divine, ecclesiastic, churchman, priest, presbyter, hierophant, pastor, shepherd, minister, father, father in Christ, padre, abbe, cure, patriarch, reverend, black coat, confessor, dignitaries of the church, ecclesiarch, hierarch, ebdomarius, eminence, reverence, elder, primate, metropolitan, archbishop, bishop, prelate, diocesan, suffragan, dean, subdean, archdeacon, prebendary, canon, rural dean, rector, parson, vicar, perpetual curate, residentiary, beneficiary, incumbent, chaplain, curate, deacon, deaconess, preacher, reader, lecturer, capitular, missionary, propagandist, Jesuit, revivalist, field preacher, churchwarden, sidesman, clerk, precentor, choir, almoner, suisse, verger, beadle, sexton, sacristan, acolyth, acolothyst, acolyte, altar boy, chorister, Pope, Papa, pontiff, high priest, cardinal, ancient flamen, flamen, confessor, penitentiary, spiritual director, cenobite, conventual, abbot, prior, monk, friar, lay brother, beadsman, mendicant, pilgrim, palmer, canon regular, canon secular, Franciscan, Friars minor, Minorites, Observant, Capuchin, Dominican, Carmelite, Augustinian, Gilbertine, Austin Friars, Black Friars, White Friars, Gray Friars, Crossed Friars, Crutched Friars, Bonhomme, Carthusian, Benedictine, Cistercian, Trappist, Cluniac, Premonstatensian, Maturine, Templar, Hospitaler, Bernardine, Lorettine, pillarist, stylite, abbess, prioress, canoness, religieuse, nun, novice, postulant, prophet, priest, high priest, Levite, Rabbi, Rabbin, Rebbe, scribe, mullah, muezzin, ayatollah, ulema, imaum, imam, sheik, sufi, kahin, kassis, mufti, hadji, dervish, fakir, faquir, brahmin, guru, kaziaskier, poonghie, sanyasi, druid, bonze, santon, abdal, Lama, talapoin, caloyer, the Reverend, the very Reverend, the Right Reverend, ordained, in orders, called to the ministry.