sherif

American  

[she-reef] / ʃɛˈrif /

Also shereef;

noun

1. a governor of Mecca descended from Muhammad.

2. an Arab chief, prince, or ruler.

---

sherif British  

/ ʃɛˈriːf /

noun

1. a descendant of Mohammed through his daughter Fatima

2. (formerly) the governor of Mecca

3. an honorific title accorded to any Muslim ruler

---

Etymology

Origin of sherif

First recorded in 1590–1600, sherif is from the Arabic word sharīf “exalted (person)”