ulema noun. ['ʊlǝmǝ, 'u:lɪmǝ, u:lǝ'mɑ:] Also ulama ['ʊlǝmǝ, u:lǝ'mɑ:]. L17.
[Arab. (Turkish, Persian) ulamā' pl. of ālim, alīm learned, from alima have (religious) knowledge.]
1. collect. & in pl. The members of a Muslim society or country who are recognized as having specialist knowledge of Islamic sacred law and theology; spec. (Hist.) such a body in the Ottoman Empire. L17.

2. A person who belongs to the ulema. M19.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲