Dönmeh
/ˈdœn.me/noun
A member of a Jewish religious movement whose followers converted outwardly to Islam while preserving elements of Sabbatean belief.
Did you know?The Dönmeh emerged after the Jewish messiah Sabbatai Zevi converted to Islam in 1666, creating a secretive movement that blended Jewish and Islamic practices.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Turkic
Proto-Turkic
*dön-
“To turn or return; the reconstructed verbal root behind later Turkish forms.”
11th–13th Century
Turkish
dönmek
“To turn, return, or change direction.”
Ottoman Turkish
Ottoman Turkish
dönme
“A convert or someone who has turned away from a former faith; literally, one who turns.”
1666 onward
Ottoman Turkish
Dönme
“A follower of Sabbatai Zevi who outwardly entered Islam while maintaining a distinct communal religious identity.”
18th–19th Century
European languages
Dönmeh
“The name used by outsiders for this secretive Sabbatean community.”
Modern English
English
Dönmeh
“A member of the historical Sabbatean movement, also spelled Donme or Dönme.”