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
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.
Hanna presented herself as a wealthy, illegitimate daughter of the sultan of Brunei, initially showering Hornigold, his then-partner Heather Kaniuk and his friends with lavish gifts, from cars to homes.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
Words such as "sultan" and "shrine" are disappearing from place names - to be replaced with terms such as "harmony" and "happiness", according to the research, which is based on China's own published data.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2024
But the sultan has defended his business dealings.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2024
The sultan announced the engagement in October of Mateen and Anisha, who is the granddaughter of the ruler’s special advisor.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 12, 2024
The sultan agreed and gave Scheherazade until dawn.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
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.
