asabiyyah means the degree of shared purpose, solidarity, and social cohesion of a group, typically in Arabic or Islamic contexts. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why this word is great
ASABIYYAH — [Noun] The degree of shared purpose, solidarity, and social cohesion within a group, particularly in Arabic and Islamic socio-political thought. From Arabic عَصَبِيَّة (ʿaṣabiyya), from the root ع ص ب (ʿ-ṣ-b), relating to binding or uniting, originally connoting tribalism or group feeling, later expanded by Ibn Khaldun to denote the social cohesion necessary for civilizational power. Unlike nationalism, which is loyalty to an abstract state, or camaraderie, which is the warmth of personal fellowship, *asabiyyah* is the deeper, impersonal tensile strength of collective will. It is the desert clan closing ranks against the storm, the unified roar erupting from a thousand throats, and the silent, generational resolve that rebuilds after the flood—the binding force that makes history before becoming its artifact.
noun
- The degree of shared purpose, solidarity, and social cohesion of a group, typically in Arabic or Islamic contexts.