— Shi'ism /shee"iz euhm/ , n. — Shi'itic /shee it"ik/ , adj.
/shee"uyt/ , n. Islam.
a member of one of the two great religious divisions of Islam that regards Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, as the legitimate successor of Muhammad, and disregards the three caliphs who succeeded him.
Also, Shiite, Shi'a, Shi'ah, Shi'i /shee ee", shee"ee/ . Cf. Sunni (def. 1).
[ SHI'AH + -ITE 1 ]