sultan

noun

sul·​tan ˈsəl-tᵊn How to pronounce sultan (audio)
: a king or sovereign especially of a Muslim state
sultanic adjective

Examples of sultan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The sultan and his son attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022 and returned to London for the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May 2023. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2024 Oman also played a significant role in the breakthrough, the senior administration official said, which in part prompted President Biden to call Oman’s sultan this week. Dan Lamothe, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2023 Some rode on donkey carts but most were walking, down Salah Al-Din Road, named for the 12th century Muslim sultan and conqueror — known in the West as Saladin — who captured Jerusalem from the Crusaders. Vivian Yee, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2023 In Yemen, an aging sultan chooses his successor with a simple, but revealing, question. Husna Haq, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2023 As the invocation of sultans suggests, this is an exploration of the highest-end items, made for the palaces of the privileged. Ted Loos, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2023 Whether or not your own banquet table features beautifully decorated communal bowls—as was typical at a sultan’s feasts—Komaroff is confident the topic has a good chance of being relevant and inviting for everyone. Ted Loos, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2023 The family name was bestowed by the sultan who funded Avedis’s first foundry outside Constantinople. James Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Sep. 2023 The next year, Mr. Fayed used London property bought for the sultan as leverage to acquire the retail chain House of Fraser, the group holding Harrods, according to British media reports. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sultan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Arabic sulṭān

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sultan was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near sultan

Cite this Entry

“Sultan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sultan. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sultan

noun
sul·​tan ˈsəlt-ᵊn How to pronounce sultan (audio)
: a king or ruler especially of a Muslim state
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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