Shiite

/ˌʃiˈaɪt/

Other forms: Shiites

A Shiite is a person who belongs to one of the two main branches of Islam. A Shiite is a Muslim who follows specific religious traditions.

Shiites are the second-largest branch of Islam, after Sunnis. A Shiite believes that Mohammed's son-in-law, Ali, was his legitimate successor as political and religious leader. Though Shiites hold this basic belief in common, there are further divisions within Shia Islam, another name for the group of Shiites. You can also call a Shiite a Shia, which is its root as well — from the Arabic shi'ah, "partisans or followers."

Definitions of Shiite

1. noun

   a member of the branch of Islam that regards Ali as the legitimate successor to Mohammed and rejects the first three caliphs
   synonyms: Shi'ite, Shi'ite Muslim, Shia Muslim, Shiite Muslim

   type of:

   Moslem, Muslim

   a believer in or follower of Islam