emir
Americannoun
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a chieftain, prince, commander, or head of state in some Islamic countries.
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a title of honor of the descendants of Muhammad.
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(initial capital letter) the former title of the ruler of Afghanistan.
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a title of certain Turkish officials.
noun
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an independent ruler or chieftain
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a military commander or governor
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a descendant of Mohammed
Etymology
Origin of emir
First recorded in 1625–35; from Arabic ʾamīr “commander, prince,” from ʾamara “to command, order”
Explanation
An emir is a ruler or commander, especially in Africa or Arabia. Emir comes from an Arabic word for "commander." An emir is a chieftain or independent ruler who has power over a province or tribe. An emir might be a prince or just a military commander. You will only hear about emirs in places where the Arabic language has an influence.
Vocabulary lists containing emir
English Words Derived from Arabic
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Storms don’t shake us. They remind us who we are,” proclaimed an electronic billboard in City Walk on Thursday night, with a quote from Dubai’s emir.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
With Noem’s attention focused on her need to travel in the style of a Persian Gulf emir, the actual administration of the department has suffered.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026
The emir of Qatar is also very friendly with Trump, having given him, as a present, a $400 million jetliner to use as the next Air Force One.
From Slate • Oct. 16, 2025
“It’s not like al Qaeda or ISIS, where you have a command or an emir in charge giving orders,” Hoffman said.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2025
That’s what I thought, anyway, as we rode in the sweet-smelling car, through the garden estate of the emir, past marble beds full of black tulips, to his castle by the sea.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
