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sheikh

British

/ ʃeɪk /

noun

1. the head of an Arab tribe, village, etc
2. a venerable old man
3. a high priest or religious leader, esp a Sufi master

"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 sheikh

C16: from Arabic shaykh old man

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.

A person familiar with Tahnoon’s investment said the sheikh and a few co-investors had backed the deal with World Liberty but that it was never discussed with Trump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

He hopes to see the mosque, which houses the tomb of a Sufi sheikh, host a traditional music festival when the renovation is complete, "in five months".

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

Tarik Ata, an Orange County-based sheikh, said he supported “parents’ rights to guide their children’s moral and religious education.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2025

COVID-19 shuttered his next project, the Harlem Food Hall, but then Smalls received an unexpected call from Her Excellency, the sheikh of Dubai’s daughter, which led to his work on Alkebulan.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2025

Suddenly the sheikh raised his rifle above his head, and cried aloud to the boy in English.

From Across the Cameroons A Story of War and Adventure by Gilson, Charles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023