SHEIK
What does "SHEIK" mean?
An Arab chief, leader, or ruler, especially the head of a tribe, family, or village.
Meanings
- A leader or head of an Arab tribe, family, or village; also a title of respect for an elder or religious authority. The sheik welcomed the travellers into his tent and offered them coffee.
- A man regarded as romantically irresistible or dashing. In the 1920s every matinee idol wanted to play the brooding desert sheik. informal
Did you know?
- The 1921 film 'The Sheik' starring Rudolph Valentino was such a sensation that 'sheik' briefly became American slang for a smooth, irresistible young man - with 'sheba' coined for his female counterpart.
Word origin
From Arabic 'shaykh', literally 'old man' or 'elder', from a root meaning to grow old; it entered English in the 16th century, with the romantic sense popularised by the 1921 film 'The Sheik'.
Remember it
SHEIK sounds like 'chic' with an SH - picture a stylish desert leader; spell it the rare way, E before I.
A little poem
The dunes keep no borders, only wind,
yet the sheik reads the sand like a page-
where the well is, where the storm has been.
tercet
What it teaches
Authority earned by years of listening outlasts authority seized in a single loud moment.
Quick facts
What does SHEIK mean?
An Arab chief, leader, or ruler, especially the head of a tribe, family, or village.
Is SHEIK a valid word?
Yes — SHEIK is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SHEIK?
SHEIK has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SHEIK come from?
From Arabic 'shaykh', literally 'old man' or 'elder', from a root meaning to grow old; it entered English in the 16th century, with the romantic sense popularised by the 1921 film 'The Sheik'.
What can SHEIK teach us?
Authority earned by years of listening outlasts authority seized in a single loud moment.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.