Definition of "hijab" []

• The headscarf worn by Muslim women, sometimes including a veil that covers the face except for the eyes. (noun)
• The institution of protection of women in some Islamic societies through veiling or seclusion. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The term hijab or veil is not used in the Qur'an to refer to an article of clothing for women or men, rather it refers to a spatial curtain that divides or provides privacy."
• "The word hijab comes from the Arabic for veil and is used to describe the headscarves worn by Muslim women."
• "Besides being for modesty, the hijab is also a representation of Islamic identity."