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sultanate

American  
[suhl-tn-eyt] / ˈsʌl tnˌeɪt /

noun

  1. the office or rule of a sultan.

  2. the territory ruled over by a sultan.


sultanate British  
/ ˈsʌltəˌneɪt /

noun

  1. the territory or a country ruled by a sultan

  2. the office, rank, or jurisdiction of a sultan

"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

Etymology

Origin of sultanate

First recorded in 1815–25; sultan + -ate 3

Vocabulary lists containing sultanate

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.

He acted as Iran's representative in talks last month with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Oman that were mediated by the Gulf sultanate and failed to stop the march to war.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Then they’ve continued indirect talks with the U.S. in Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula that’s been a key interlocutor between Tehran and the West.

From Seattle Times • May 21, 2024

On Wednesday, local TV stations broadcast some of the wedding events in the small, oil-rich sultanate.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2024

Dar Masalit sultanate, which represents the Masalit ethnic community in Darfur, also called for an “immediate international intervention” to protect civilians in Darfur.

From Washington Times • Jun. 20, 2023

Formerly an independent Mahommedan sultanate it has been divided between Great Britain, Germany and France.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 3 "Borgia, Lucrezia" to "Bradford, John" by Various