caliph - definition, synonyms and pronunciation

Open English WordNet

Noun (1)

the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth“many radical Muslims believe a Khalifah will unite all Islamic lands and people and subjugate the rest of the world”Synonyms: calif kaliph kalif khalif khalifahType of ruler, MuslimExamples Ali

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Ca′liph (kā′lĭf), noun

Origin: OE. caliphe, califfe, F. calife (cf. Sp. califa), fr. Ar. khalīfan successor, fr. khalafa to succed (i. e. a successor of Mohammed).

Successor or vicar; the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state; — a title of the successors of Mohammed both as temporal and spiritual rulers, used formerly by the sultans of Turkey. [Written also calif, kaliph, kalif, khalif.]

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54