sheik
Americannoun
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Also sheikh. (in Islamic countries) the patriarch of a tribe or family; chief: a term of polite address.
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Slang. a man held to be masterful and irresistibly charming to women.
Other Word Forms
- sheiklike adjective
Etymology
Origin of sheik
First recorded in 1570–80; from Arabic shayḫ “old man, chief,” from shaka “to grow, grow up, grow old”
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.
The outlet noted that Ferguson has experienced some public hiccups, like the time she was caught promising a News of the World reporter disguised as a sheik access to Andrew in exchange for nearly $700,000.
From Fox News • Jul. 26, 2021
While still a long shot, Scherr and other horse owners could compete for the Derby against millionaires and even a billionaire sheik who spend incredible wealth on horses.
From Washington Times • Sep. 28, 2020
An heiress poses as a man, meets a sheik and faces danger in a 1920s cross-desert car race.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 2, 2019
But Mr Dutton defended his department against accusations that a visa for the sheik should never have been approved.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2016
She walked into a dark room, peeked out from behind a shade, and saw the sheik high up in the cherry tree silhouetted against the moon.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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.
