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emirate

American  
[uh-meer-it, -eyt, ey-meer-, em-er-it] / əˈmɪər ɪt, -eɪt, eɪˈmɪər-, ˈɛm ər ɪt /
amirate,

noun

  • emirates
    plural
  1. the office or rank of an emir.

  2. the state or territory under the jurisdiction of an emir.

  3. the Emirates. United Arab Emirates.


emirate British  
/ ˈɛmɪrɪt, ɛˈmɪərɪt /

noun

  1. the rank or office of an emir

  2. the government, jurisdiction, or territory of an emir

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of emirate

First recorded in 1860–65; emir + -ate 3

Vocabulary lists containing emirate

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.

See Examples For:

It is the same across Dubai, the once-vibrant emirate of skyscrapers and strivers that unexpectedly found itself on the front lines of the Iran war.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 2, 2026

The wealthy Gulf emirate, which is also playing a key role as a mediator in talks between the US and Iran, donated the jet last year.

From Barron's Jul. 1, 2026

As he unveiled the plane earlier this month, Trump praised the Gulf emirate for being "so nice and providing" the modified Boeing 747, which previously served Qatar's head of state.

From Barron's Jun. 29, 2026

I see how they seem electrified by every image of smoke rising over an emirate and every siren sounding on an American base.

From The Wall Street Journal May 21, 2026

He then returned to Arabia, where he commanded the Arabs against Ibn Saud, the head of a new religious sect, who threatened his father's emirate.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia Volume 4, Part 3: Estremoz to Felspar by Various

Fujairah, one of the U.A.E.’s seven emirates, is home to the only major U.A.E. port on the Gulf of Oman, outside the Strait of Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

Whenever the Iran war ends, the seven emirates comprising the U.A.E. will have significant refunding commitments to rebuild the damage to their economies caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

From MarketWatch Apr. 28, 2026

One of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates along with Abu Dhabi, Fujairah is strategically located on the Gulf of Oman, outside the Strait of Hormuz, with direct access to the Indian Ocean.

From Salon Mar. 21, 2026

On Thursday, the day before Mr Sanusi returned to the throne, the Kano State House of Assembly abolished the five former emirates.

From BBC May 24, 2024

All seven emirates are only as big as half of Oklahoma, but the UAE is one of the richest countries in the world.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

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