Definition

Noun: * A fictional character from the Middle Eastern folk tale "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," which is part of the One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights) collection. He is a poor woodcutter who discovers the secret ("Open Sesame") to a treasure cave used by a band of thieves.

Usage

The word "Ali Baba" is used as a proper noun to refer specifically to this character. It is often cited in discussions of literature, folklore, and cultural references.

Examples: * The story of Ali Baba is a classic tale of cunning triumphing over greed. * In the tale, Ali Baba overhears the magic words that open the thieves' den. * The character Ali Baba has become an archetype for the clever underdog.

Advanced Usage

• The name "Ali Baba" is sometimes used generically or humorously to refer to someone who has stumbled upon a secret or a source of great wealth.
  • With that password, he felt like Ali Baba entering the cave.

Variants and Related Words

• Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: The full title of the folk tale.
• "Open Sesame": The magical phrase used by Ali Baba to open and close the cave entrance. This phrase has entered common usage to mean a quick or magical means of access.

Synonyms

• Fictional hero
• Folklore character
• Protagonist (of the specific tale)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Open Sesame": A magical or very effective key to gaining entry or access.
  • Knowing the right person was his "open sesame" to the industry.
• An Ali Baba cave: A phrase sometimes used to describe a place filled with an astonishing collection of treasures or valuables.
  • The collector's vault was like an Ali Baba cave of rare artifacts.

Noun

1. the fictional woodcutter who discovered that `open sesame' opened a cave in the Arabian Nights' Entertainment