emir

Also a·meer,
Or a·mir

[uh-meer, ey-meer, ey-meer]

noun

1. a chieftain, prince, commander, or head of state in some Islamic countries.

2. a title of honor of the descendants of Muhammad.

3. (initial capital letter),  the former title of the ruler of Afghanistan.

4. a title of certain Turkish officials.

emir

/ ɛˈmɪə /

noun

1. an independent ruler or chieftain

2. a military commander or governor

3. a descendant of Mohammed

Word History and Origins

Origin of emir¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Arabic ʾamīr “commander, prince,” from ʾamara “to command, order”

Word History and Origins

Origin of emir¹

C17: via French from Spanish emir, from Arabic ' amīr commander

Example Sentences

As Irish hotelier Patrick McKillen tells it, he met the former emir of Qatar on a yacht in Doha to discuss a business opportunity in California, more than 8,000 miles away.

From Los Angeles Times

She is expected to be at the farewells to the emir on Wednesday.

From BBC

“Apart from killing a member of the emir’s staff, it also seriously injured another person - not also forgetting the damage it regularly does to our farmlands.”

From BBC

Biden spoke Monday with the emir of Qatar — whose country, along with Egypt, has played a major role in trying to negotiate a truce and persuade Hamas to accept one.

From Seattle Times

A Cyprus government statement said the emir expressed his concern over developments in the southern Gaza city of Rafah where an Israeli military offensive is underway.

From Seattle Times