shah

noun

ˈshä How to pronounce shah (audio)
ˈshȯ
often capitalized
: a sovereign of Iran
shahdom
ˈshä-dəm How to pronounce shah (audio)
ˈshȯ-
noun

Examples of shah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the time, Iran was ruled by Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the second shah in the Pahlavi dynasty. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 May 2025 In 1979, the United States overestimated the ability of its longtime ally in Iran, the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to quell domestic unrest and was surprised by his rapid fall from power. Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 30 Mar. 2023 Later that year, university students overran the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, seeking the shah’s extradition and sparking the 444-day hostage crisis that saw diplomatic relations between Iran and the U.S. severed. Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025 Later that year, university students overran the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, seeking the shah’s return and sparking the 444-day hostage crisis that saw diplomatic relations between Iran and the U.S. severed. Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shah

Word History

Etymology

Persian shāh king — more at check

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shah was in 1566

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Cite this Entry

“Shah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shah. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

shah

noun
ˈshä How to pronounce shah (audio)
ˈshȯ
: a ruler of Iran until the 1979 revolution

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