آخوند

Etymology
. It has been suggested that this word is a compound, with the first element possibly being a contraction of and the second related to  or a contraction of, though the  states that this set of etymologies is "[not] entirely satisfactory".

Noun

 * 1)  An akhund, specifically a cleric of the  Shia school.

Usage notes

 * In Iran, though not necessarily in other countries, this word is often used as a term of derision. It has been so used by clerics themselves to mark other clerics as backward or unlearned, but it is most often heard from those who are critical of the Shiite clergy and/or the Iranian revolution.