A burqa, also known as chadri or paranja in Central Asia, is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions to cover themselves in public, which covers the body and the face. Originating from Arabic: burquʻ or burqaʻ, and Urdu: it is also transliterated burkha, bourkha, burka, burqua, or burqu’ and is pronounced Arabic pronunciation.
The term burqa is sometimes conflated with niqab. In more precise usage, the niqab is a face veil that leaves the eyes uncovered, while a burqa covers the entire body from the top of the head to the ground, with only a mesh screen allowing the wearer to see in front of her.