A dervish is a member of a Muslim religious group which has a very active and lively dance as part of its worship.
In the heart of the Anatolian steppe, dervishes still whirl on festive occasionsin mystic union with God.
2.
See like a dervish
dervish in British English
(ˈdɜːvɪʃ)
noun
a member of any of various Muslim orders of ascetics, some of which (whirling dervishes) are noted for a frenzied, ecstatic, whirling dance
Derived forms
dervish-like (ˈdervish-ˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Turkish: beggar, from Persian darvīsh mendicant monk
dervish in American English
(ˈdɜrvɪʃ)
noun
a member of any of various Muslim religious groups dedicated to a life of poverty and chastity: some dervishes practice whirling, chanting, etc. as religious acts
Word origin
Turk dervish < Pers darvēsh, beggar
Examples of 'dervish' in a sentence
dervish
She could dance like a dervish, march like a soldier, or hop like a one-legged pirate with a parrot on his shoulder.
Ruell, Patrick THE ONLY GAME
He spun like a dervish, turning eccentric rings as the blindness overwhelmed him, then dropped to the floor.
Jenkins, Geoffrey A DAYSTAR OF FEAR
Like the dervish knights whom Adam had seen setting out from their monastery, their motto was `Ride and die!