sheikh

noun

ˈshēk 

also for sense 1

ˈshāk 

variants or sheik

1

: an Arab chief

2

usually sheik : a man held to be irresistibly attractive to romantic young women

Examples of sheikh in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now’s your chance to live like a Middle Eastern sheikh. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 29 Sep. 2025

Later Friday, Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff had dinner with the sheikh in New York, where Trump went to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2025

While the cars are moving in two dimensions to the fighter jets’ three, Kosinski makes the races feel truly physical—not just on the turns and straights, but in the frenetic pit stops and in the viewing suites stuffed with sheikhs and tech ghouls. —Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 20 June 2025

For Bondi to bless this Qatari sheikh's big bad Boeing baksheesh is another not so funny joke in a long line this year. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Arabic shaykh

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sheikh

• beak
• beek
• bleak
• cheek
• chic
• clique
• creak
• creek
• eke
• freak
• geek
• greek

Kids Definition

sheikh

noun

variants or sheik

ˈshēk 

for sense 1 also

ˈshāk 

1

a

: an Arab leader, ruler, or prince

b

: a leader of a Muslim organization or group

2

usually sheik : a man supposed to be irresistibly attractive to romantic young women

sheikdom

-dəm

noun