sultan
Americannoun
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the sovereign of an Islamic country.
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(often initial capital letter) any of the former sovereigns of Turkey.
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any absolute ruler or despot.
noun
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the sovereign of a Muslim country, esp of the former Ottoman Empire
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an arbitrary ruler; despot
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a small domestic fowl with a white crest and heavily feathered legs and feet: originated in Turkey
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sultan
1545–55; < Middle French < Turkish < Arabic sulṭān sovereign
Explanation
Use the noun sultan when you talk about the king of a Muslim country. It's most commonly used to refer to the sultans of Turkey's Ottoman Empire. There are some countries today that still use the term sultan for a ruler or nobleman, including Oman and Malaysia. However, the word comes up most often in a historical context, especially when you're talking about the former Ottoman Empire, where the title of sultan was inherited, passed from father to son. The word sultan has many different meanings in Arabic, including "strength," "ruler," "king," "queen," and "power."
Vocabulary lists containing sultan
English Words Derived from Arabic
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Southeast Asia - Introductory
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Southeast 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.
At least 134 people were reportedly injured across several provinces - South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani - and the city of General Santos, a local official said.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
She had a double mastectomy and is in the process of reconstruction with Dr. Sultan in New York.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
The conflict showed “too much of the world’s energy still moves through too few chokepoints,” said Sultan Al Jaber, the U.A.E.’s minister of industry and advanced technology, at a recent Atlantic Council forum.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
President Duma Boko and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq agreed to develop a 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant with battery storage, the presidency said on Monday.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
‘Here is the Sultan of Baghdad speaking,’ the voice said.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
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.
