Main Entry: ca·liph

Variant(s): also ca·lif \ˈkā-ləf, ˈka-ləf\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English caliphe, from Middle French calife, from Arabic khalīfa successor

Date: 14th century

: a successor of Muhammad as temporal and spiritual head of Islam —used as a title

— ca·liph·al \-lə-fəl\ adjective