Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.15781

c10.15781

b. Ar. walī. This is much used in some Mahommedan countries (e.g. Egypt and Syria) for a saint, and by a transfer for the shrine of such a saint. ["This would be a separate building like our family tomb and probably domed. . . . Europeans usually call it 'a little Wali'; or, as they write it, 'Wely'; the contained for the container; the 'Santon' for the 'Santon's tomb'" (Burton, *Ar. Nights*, i. 97).] See under PEER.