English

Alternative forms

• wāli
• vali (via Turkish)

Noun

wali ‎(plural walis)

1. A provincial governor in certain Islamic countries.
   • 1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber 1992, page 130:

     You see the shrine was founded in memory of a great Wali, seer, holy man – but apparently a Mohammedan.

   • 2007 November 2, Jane Perlez, “Militants Draw New Front Line Inside Pakistan”, in New York Times:

     For much of the last century, the mountainous region of Swat was ruled as a princely kingdom where a benign autocrat, the wali, bestowed schools for girls, health care for everyone and the chance to get a degree abroad for the talented.

Translations

Indonesian

Etymology

From Arabic وَالِي ‎(wālī).

Noun

wali

1. guardian
2. wali (provincial governor)

Derived terms

• wali kota

Swahili

Noun

wali (u class, no plural)

1. cooked rice

See also

• mchele (raw husked rice)
• mpunga (raw unhusked rice)

Noun

wali

1. plural of mwali