Mahjar
/ˈmæh.dʒɑːr/noun
A diaspora, especially the Arabic-speaking diaspora in the Americas, or the literary movement created by Arab émigré writers.
Did you know?The Mahjar literary movement, especially among Arab writers in the Americas, helped introduce ideas of cultural hybridity, freedom, and spiritual renewal into modern Arabic literature.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*h-j-r
“To leave, separate, abandon, or emigrate”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
hajara
“He left, abandoned, or migrated”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
hijra
“Migration or emigration, especially the Prophet Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
mahjar
“A place of emigration or exile, formed as a place noun from the h-j-r root”
Late 19th–20th Century
Arabic
al-Mahjar
“The Arabic-speaking diaspora, particularly communities in the Americas”
Modern English
English
Mahjar
“The Arab diaspora and its associated literary movement”