sheikh

noun

ˈshēk How to pronounce sheikh (audio)
also for sense 1
ˈshāk How to pronounce sheikh (audio)
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
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.
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 Inside Paramount’s bumpy sale: the president, a scion and a possible sheikh. Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2025 Attendees included sheikhs and the CEO of the Raffles Family Office, Chi-man Kwan. Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2025 Landi also used his time in Dubai to consult for a start-up run by an Emirati sheikh. Atossa Araxia Abrahamian Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sheikh

Word History

Etymology

Arabic shaykh

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sheikh was in 1577

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

sheikh

noun
variants or sheik
ˈshēk How to pronounce sheikh (audio)
for sense 1 also
ˈshāk How to pronounce sheikh (audio)
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

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