A high religious title among Shia Muslims, used mainly in Iran and Iraq. An ayatollah is a senior scholar of Islamic law — someone who has studied for many years and is qualified to give rulings that other believers may follow. There are many ayatollahs; a very small number rise higher and are called Grand Ayatollah.

A high religious title這是個崇高的宗教頭銜 among Shia Muslims用在什葉派穆斯林之間 used mainly in Iran and Iraq主要用在伊朗和伊拉克。An ayatollah阿亞圖拉 is a senior scholar of Islamic law是伊斯蘭教法的資深學者 someone who has studied for many years這種人已經研讀多年 and而且 is qualified to give rulings取得資格能做出裁定 that other believers may follow讓其他信徒可以遵循。There are many ayatollahs阿亞圖拉有很多位 a very small number rise higher只有極少數地位更高 and而且 are called Grand Ayatollah被稱為大阿亞圖拉。

In English news, the word is most often attached to one man: Ayatollah Khomeini, who led the 1979 Iranian revolution, and then Ayatollah Khamenei after him. Because Iran's system gives its top cleric political power too, English speakers hear 'the ayatollahs' and think of the government, not just of religion — 'the ayatollahs closed the border'. That is a loose, journalistic use, and it flattens a religious rank into a political label.

In English news在英文新聞裡 the word is most often attached to one man這個字最常跟一個人綁在一起 : Ayatollah Khomeini何梅尼 who led the 1979 Iranian revolution領導了1979年的伊朗革命 and而 then Ayatollah Khamenei after him之後是哈米尼。Because Iran's system gives its top cleric political power too因為伊朗的體制也把政治權力給了最高教士 English speakers hear 'the ayatollahs'英語人士聽到「the ayatollahs」 and而 think of the government想到的是政府 not just of religion而不只是宗教 'the ayatollahs closed the border'比如「the ayatollahs closed the border」。That is a loose, journalistic use這是一種鬆散的新聞用法 and而且 it flattens a religious rank into a political label把一個宗教位階簡化成了政治標籤。

There is also a mocking use, applied to anyone who lays down the law in a strict, unarguable way: 'the ayatollahs of health food', 'a grammar ayatollah'. It means a person who treats their opinion as sacred. This is informal and clearly unkind, and it will offend Muslim listeners, so it is safest to understand it and not use it.

There is also a mocking use還有一種嘲諷用法 applied to anyone用在任何人身上 who lays down the law in a strict, unarguable way只要那個人用嚴格、不容爭辯的方式訂規矩 : 'the ayatollahs of health food', 'a grammar ayatollah'像「the ayatollahs of health food」、「a grammar ayatollah」。It means它指的是 a person who treats their opinion as sacred把自己意見當成神聖不可侵犯的人。This is informal and clearly unkind這種用法不正式，而且明顯不友善 and而且 it will offend Muslim listeners會冒犯穆斯林聽眾 so所以 it is safest to understand it and not use it最安全的做法是看懂就好，不要自己用。

Capitalise it before a name (Ayatollah Khomeini), lower case for the general noun (he became an ayatollah).

Capitalise it人名前要大寫 before a name (Ayatollah Khomeini)（像Ayatollah Khomeini） lower case for the general noun泛稱的普通名詞則小寫 (he became an ayatollah)（像he became an ayatollah）。