emir
Americannoun
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a chieftain, prince, commander, or head of state in some Islamic countries.
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a title of honor of the descendants of Muhammad.
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(initial capital letter) the former title of the ruler of Afghanistan.
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a title of certain Turkish officials.
noun
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an independent ruler or chieftain
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a military commander or governor
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a descendant of Mohammed
Etymology
Origin of emir
First recorded in 1625–35; from Arabic ʾamīr “commander, prince,” from ʾamara “to command, order”
Explanation
An emir is a ruler or commander, especially in Africa or Arabia. Emir comes from an Arabic word for "commander." An emir is a chieftain or independent ruler who has power over a province or tribe. An emir might be a prince or just a military commander. You will only hear about emirs in places where the Arabic language has an influence.
Vocabulary lists containing emir
English Words Derived from Arabic
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The Middle East and Central Asia - Introductory
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The Middle East and Central 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.
Two suspicious devices were thrown by a man identified by police as Emir Balat near the protest Saturday led by a far-right influencer to oppose public Muslim prayer.
From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026
She filed a missing person's claim at the police station, only for the authorities to call three months later to say they had no paperwork showing Emir was missing.
From BBC • Feb. 5, 2025
The visit to the UK by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani began on Monday in damp weather at Stansted airport.
From BBC • Dec. 2, 2024
Emir Lowe is to make his first court appearance on Wednesday at the West Covina Courthouse, the department added.
From BBC • Oct. 15, 2024
Suzi and Dina come skipping over, followed by Emir and Nazim.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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.
