A variant spelling of abaya; a long, loose-fitting robe worn by some Muslim women, typically in black and covering the entire body except for the face, hands, and feet.
From Arabic 'ʿabāyah,' referring to a type of garment. The word entered English in the 20th century as more direct contact with Islamic cultures increased.
The word 'abayah' (and its variant 'abaya') comes from Arabic and has appeared in English in various spellings as dictionaries struggled to transliterate Arabic into the Roman alphabet without agreed-upon standards.
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