burka n : a loose garment (usually with veiled holes for the eyes) worn by Muslim women especially in India and Pakistan; "the Taliban forced all women to wear the burqa" [syn: burqa]

English

Alternative spellings

• boorka (obsolete)
• burqa
• burqua

Etymology

From Hindustani बुरक़ा / (burqa‘) < < < verb (to cover, to veil) < root verb (to patch, to sew).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)kə

Noun

1. A garment that covers the whole body, with a net screen covering the eyes so they cannot be seen.

Synonyms

• chadri (2)

Translations

Bosnian

Noun

1. burqa
2. burka

Darkinjung

Noun

burka

1. long-nosed bandicoot

Serbian

Noun

1. burqa
2. burka

Swedish

Noun

burka

1. burka

Turkish

Noun

burka

1. burqa
2. burka

A burka is a dress made from felt or karakul (the short curly fur of young lambs of the breed named Karakul). Karakul being quite expensive, burkas were usually sewn from felt treated to look like karakul. Burkas are sewn with high, squared off shoulders, and wearers will have a distinctive high-shouldered silhouette.

Burkas were part of the customary male garb of various peoples inhabiting the Caucasus region (long contested between Russia, Iran, and Turkey, as well as prone to inter-ethnic conflict). Burkas were adopted by Russian cavalry, and worn as part of the Russian military uniform from the middle of the 18th century until the 1850s, during the Caucasus War. Vasily Chapayev wore a burka as a part of his military uniform.