A long piece of fabric worn by some Muslim and Persian women that covers the body and is draped over the head and shoulders.
From Persian چادر (chādar), ultimately from Sanskrit छत्र (chatra) meaning umbrella or canopy, reflecting the garment's protective covering function.
The chador is one of the oldest forms of modest dress, with similar garments appearing in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt thousands of years before modern fashion—it's a direct link to how human societies have approached public modesty across millennia.
Chador (Persian/Urdu origin) is a head-covering worn mainly in Iran, Afghanistan, and South Asia. Like chadar, it was weaponized in Western rhetoric as a symbol of female subjugation, particularly during 20th-century geopolitical tensions.
Refer to the garment without moral judgment. Recognize that wearers have diverse motivations—religious observance, cultural identity, family practice, or legal requirement—and agency varies by context.
["head covering","veil","Persian headscarf"]
Iranian and Afghan feminists, both hijab-wearers and non-wearers, have led resistance movements. Center their varied perspectives, not Western assumptions about their clothing.
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