Great Satan en · PROPN
Etymology
Calque of Iranian Persian شَیطانِ بُزُرْگ (šeytân-e bozorg), which is more often the name of the largest of the three jamarat at which stones are thrown during the hajj. The derogatory sense was coined by Supreme Leader of Iran from 1979 to 1989 Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979, one day after the onset of the Iran hostage crisis.
Meanings
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(derogatory) The United States of America, particularly with regard to its perceived imperialist foreign policy.
Or, have Muslims been alienated from the Congress because of the Prime Minister's warm embrace of the Great Satan?
2007, Swapan Dasgupta, “Muslims aren't the only voters”, in The Pioneer:Ahmadinejad, facing serious political problems, can posture about standing up to the Great Satan.
2007, Alexander Cockburn, “Will they nuke Iran?”, in The Free Press:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| the Great Satan | canonical | lexicographic | |
| great Satan | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
Translations (17)
tr Büyük Şeytan (pejorative: United States of America) · fa-ira شَیطانِ بُزُرْگ (pejorative: United States of America) · eu Satan Handi (pejorative: United States of America) · es Gran Satán (pejorative: United States of America) · tg Шайтони бузург (pejorative: United States of America) · ur بَڑا شَیطان (pejorative: United States of America) · pl Wielki Szatan (pejorative: United States of America) · ca Gran Satán (pejorative: United States of America) · az Böyük Şeytan (pejorative: United States of America) · ar اَلشَّيْطان اَلْأَكْبَر (pejorative: United States of America) · eo Usonaĉo (pejorative: United States of America) · hi बड़ा शैतान (pejorative: United States of America) · pt Grande Satã (pejorative: United States of America) · de Großer Satan (pejorative: United States of America) · fr Grand Satan (pejorative: United States of America) · bn বড় শয়তান (pejorative: United States of America) · ru Великий Сатан (pejorative: United States of America)