Majlis
/ˈmædʒlɪs/noun
A council, assembly, or formal meeting place, especially in Arabic-speaking and South Asian contexts.
Did you know?The Arabic plural *majālis* appears in the Qur’an, where believers are instructed to make room for others in assemblies—turning hospitality into a spiritual virtue.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*g-l-s
“Reconstructed Semitic root associated with sitting or being seated”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
jalasa
“He sat or took a seat”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
majlis
“A place of sitting; an assembly or council, formed from the root associated with sitting”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
majālis
“Assemblies or gathering places; the plural form appears in Qur’an 58:11”
Medieval Period
Persian/Urdu
majlis
“A court, council, gathering, or religious assembly”
19th Century–Modern
English
majlis
“A council, legislative body, or traditional reception room and meeting space”