ayatollah means A religious leader in Twelverism. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 82 out of 100.
ayatollah is pronounced /aɪ.əˈtoʊl.ə/.
Why “ayatollah” is a great word
AYATOLLAH — [Noun] A high-ranking religious leader in Twelver Shia Islam, or by extension, an authoritative figure on any subject. From Persian āyatollāh, from Arabic āyatu llāh (“sign of God”, from āya, “sign” + Allāh, “God”). Unlike an 'imam,' which denotes a foundational, divinely appointed successor, or a 'mullah,' a general term for a local cleric, an ayatollah is a specific, hard-won rank of supreme jurisprudential authority. It is the dense texture of a black turban, the quiet weight of a scholar's seal pressed into a fatwa, the collective hush of a seminary hall awaiting a final verdict—the human attempt to become a legible sign in a world of obscured divine intention.
Etymology
Borrowed from Iranian Persian آیَتُاللّٰه (âyato-l-lâh), from Classical Persian آیَةُاللّٰه (āyatu-l-lāh), from Arabic آيَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ (ʔāyatu llāhi, “sign of God”, from آيَة (ʔāya, “sign”) + اللّٰه (allāh, “God”)).
noun
- A religious leader in Twelverism.“"It could also pave the way for the Iranian people to seize this unique opportunity and shape their own future," Falk clarified. “I doubt the Iranian people want to replace one ayatollah with another ayatollah.””
- An authority on any subject.“P.S. This writer does NOT speak as the Ayatollah of SM. (There isn't one.) If you really want to know more, talk to sadomasochists, or at least do some reading if you're too scared to ask.”