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if·tar or If·tar

(ĭftär′)

n.
Islam

The evening meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan, traditionally featuring the fruit of the date palm as a first course.

[Arabic 'ifṭār, verbal noun of 'afṭara, to break a fast, from faṭara, to break; see pṭr in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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