Etymology

From Arabic مَهْدِي ‎(mahdī, “guided”), derived from the passive participle of هَدَى ‎(hadā, “to guide”), from the root ه د ي ‎(h-d-y), related to guiding. Compare Classical Syriac ܗܕܝ ‎(“to lead”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mæhˈd̪iː]
• (colloquial) IPA^(key): [mæhˈd̪iː], [mehˈd̪iː], [meːˈd̪iː], [meːˈt̪iː]