Great Satan

English

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Alternative forms

Etymology

Calque of Iranian Persian شیطان بزرگ (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 is coined by Iranian politician and religious leader Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 one day after the onset of the Iran hostage crisis.

Proper noun

the Great Satan

  1. (derogatory, mostly used by Muslims, especially in Iran) The United States of America, particularly with regard to its perceived imperialist foreign policy.
    • 2007, Alexander Cockburn, “Will they nuke Iran?”, in The Free Press‎:
      Ahmadinejad, facing serious political problems, can posture about standing up to the Great Satan.
    • 2007, Swapan Dasgupta, “Muslims aren't the only voters”, in The Pioneer‎:
      Or, have Muslims been alienated from the Congress because of the Prime Minister's warm embrace of the Great Satan?

Translations

See also

Further reading
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