jinni

Everyday

1. In Arabic and Muslim tradition, a spirit made of fire, invisible to people, which can be good or bad. tree →
2. (stories) A magic spirit, often living in a lamp or bottle, who can grant wishes; usually called a genie. tree →

In the lessons

Met in the Arabian Nights (Aladdin) and in Kipling's Just So Stories: in «How the Camel Got His Hump» the Djinn in charge of All Deserts gives the lazy Camel his hump. Muslims believe jinn are real beings created by God; in stories they are magical characters.

Examples

• The jinni came out of the bottle in a puff of smoke. tree →
• The Djinn gave the Camel a hump for being lazy. tree →
• In the story the jinni granted three wishes. tree →
• Aladdin's genie lived in a lamp. tree →
• Muslims believe that God created the jinn from fire. tree →
• The fisherman was scared of the angry jinni. tree →

Note

Spellings vary: jinni, jinnee, djinni, djinn, genie. «Jinn» is often the plural. «Genie» is the usual word in English stories. Pronounced JIN-ee.