sheik
Americannoun
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sheiks
plural
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Also sheikh. (in Islamic countries) the patriarch of a tribe or family; chief: a term of polite address.
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Slang. a man held to be masterful and irresistibly charming to women.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sheik
First recorded in 1570–80; from Arabic shayḫ “old man, chief,” from shaka “to grow, grow up, grow old”
Explanation
In Arabic, sheik is an honorific title, as in a Saudi oil sheik who makes the business news. Sheik also refers to a specific head of a tribe or family, or a leader in a Muslim community. In parts of the Middle East, South Asia, and some Muslim areas of Africa, a sheik is a religious leader or cleric. Sometimes it's the way an Islamic scholar is addressed. In Arabic the word is shaykh, "chief" or "wise old man." Women in a royal family, or female scholars of Islam, have traditionally been called shaykhah. Sheik is also spelled sheikh and shaikh.
Vocabulary lists containing sheik
The Middle East and Central Asia - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Middle School
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The Middle East and Central Asia - High 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.
See Examples For:
They are asked politely by the sheik to refrain from talking during his lesson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2022
The outlet noted that Ferguson has experienced some public hiccups, like the time she was caught promising a News of the World reporter disguised as a sheik access to Andrew in exchange for nearly $700,000.
From Fox News ● Jul. 26, 2021
Ron Kuby, who once represented a blind Egyptian sheik sentenced to life in prison after a 1990s Manhattan terrorism trial, said the lockup houses some of “the highest-security prisoners on earth.”
From Washington Times ● Aug. 12, 2019
But Mr Dutton defended his department against accusations that a visa for the sheik should never have been approved.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2016
“Talked to me for quite a while—said he was from Saudi Arabia. He thumbed through the goshawk book, too. Said the sheik he worked for had a goshawk. “
From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
By the 1960s, the Egyptian was a wealthy man who was wheeling and dealing with everyone from Arab sheiks to Papa Doc Duvalier, Haiti's notorious dictator.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2023
—Rep. Michael J. “Ozzie” Myers, D-Penn., was convicted of bribery and conspiracy for taking money from FBI agents who posed as Arab sheiks.
From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2023
The One and its myriad extravagances are reserved for sheiks and nobles, celebrities and CEOs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2021
Tochterman’s has attracted customers from all walks of life over the years, from neighborhood kids to Arab sheiks.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 14, 2016
The Arab sheiks prize falcons,” the librarian continues.
From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
