sheik

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sheik

a Muslim religious official; a leader of an Arab family, village, or tribe

Not to be confused with:

cheek – either side of a face; nerve, audacity, gall, impudence: the kid has a lot of cheek

chic – fashionable, stylish; style and elegance, smart, modish: she looks so chic in that black dress

chick – young chicken or other bird; a child; a young pretty woman

sheikh

or sheik (shāk, shēk)

a. Islam A man respected for his piety or religious learning.

b. A male leader of an Arab family or village.

c. A man in an Arab society who is important or wealthy.

d. Used as a form of address for such a man.

2. sheik Slang A sexually alluring man.

[Arabic šayḫ, old man, chief, from šāḫa, to grow old; see śyḫ in Semitic roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sheik

(ʃik; for 1 also ʃeɪk)

n.

Also, sheikh. (in Arab countries) the patriarch of a tribe or family; chief: also used as a term of polite address.

[1570–80; < Arabic shaykh old man]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	sheik - the leader of an Arab village or family Arab chief, sheikh, tribal sheik, tribal sheikh ruler, swayer - a person who rules or commands; "swayer of the universe"
	2.	sheik - a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance dandy, fashion plate, fop, gallant, dude, beau, clotheshorse, swell coxcomb, cockscomb - a conceited dandy who is overly impressed by his own accomplishments macaroni - a British dandy in the 18th century who affected Continental mannerisms; "Yankee Doodle stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni" adult male, man - an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman); "there were two women and six men on the bus"

Translations

شَيْخ

sejk

sheik

阿拉伯的家长阿拉伯的族长阿拉伯的村长阿拉伯的酋长

sheik

sheikh [ʃeɪk] N → jeque m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

sheik(h)

n → Scheich m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

sheik

sheikh [ʃeɪk] n → sceicco

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

sheik(h)

(ˈʃeik) , ((American) ʃi:k) noun

an Arab chief.

ˈsheik(h)dom noun

a state ruled by a sheik(h).

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

"Sheik Amor ben Khatour," announced the sergeant by way of introduction.

Sheik Amor ben Khatour dropped the spilled gold pieces one by one back into the purse.

View in context

"Boring for water, you black-and-tan galoot!" replied the Sheik of the Outfit, with that ready repartee which distinguishes the Unbeliever.

"And don't you know," said the Sheik of the Outfit, "that caravans will then stop here for rest and refreshments, giving you a chance to steal the camels, the horses, and the goods?"

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But my father can reward you, and he will, for is he not a great sheik? He is Kadour ben Saden."

The sleepy landlord objected strenuously to instituting a search for Kadour ben Saden until the following morning, but a piece of gold put a different aspect on the matter, so that a few moments later a servant had started to make the rounds of the lesser native hostelries where it might be expected that a desert sheik would find congenial associations.

View in context

"O servant of the Prophet," said the Sheik of the Imperial Chibouk to the Mamoosh of the Invincible Army, "how many unconquerable soldiers have we in arms?"

For eight hours the broad brow of the Sheik of the Imperial Chibouk was corrugated with evidences of deep thought: he was calculating the chances of war.

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Veiling his clear-cut, lean face in a thin layer of a hard, high cloud, I have seen him, like a wizened robber sheik of the sea, hold up large caravans of ships to the number of three hundred or more at the very gates of the English Channel.

View in context

On the 25th of November, 1852, after the death of Overweg, his last companion, he plunged into the west, visited Sockoto, crossed the Niger, and finally reached Timbuctoo, where he had to languish, during eight long months, under vexations inflicted upon him by the sheik, and all kinds of ill-treatment and wretchedness.

View in context

The poor old sheik we saw at Cesarea Philippi with his ragged band of a hundred followers, would have been called a "king" in those ancient times.

Jabin, King of Hazor, (up yonder above Dan,) called all the sheiks about him together, with their hosts, to make ready for Israel's terrible General who was approaching.