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ni·qab or ni·kab

(nə-käb)

A veil worn by Muslim women that covers most or all of the face, having a narrow opening or mesh covering for the eyes.

[Arabic niqāb, from naqaba, to pierce, bore a hole, perforate; see nqb in the Appendix of Semitic roots.]

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niqab

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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