{ ‖‖‖ } n. [ Ar. imām. ] 1. Among the Muslims, a minister or priest who performs the regular service of the mosque. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. A Muslim prince who, as a successor of Mohammed, unites in his person supreme spiritual and temporal power. [ 1913 Webster ]
(n) (Islam) the man who leads prayers in a mosque; for Shiites an imam is a recognized authority on Islamic theology and law and a spiritual guide, Syn. imaum