Khalifa
/kæˈliːfə/noun
A successor or deputy, especially the title of the leader of the Muslim community.
Did you know?Khalīfa comes from an Arabic root meaning 'to come after' or 'succeed,' and the same root also gave rise to words tied to succession and replacement across Semitic usage.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
PS
*ḫlf
“to succeed, come after, replace”
Classical Arabic
AR
خَلِيفَة (khalīfa)
“successor, deputy, steward”
7th Century
AR
خليفة الرسول (khalīfat ar-rasūl)
“successor to the Messenger (of God), title for the leader of the Muslim community”
Medieval Latin
LA
califa
“caliph; Muslim ruler”
Modern English
EN
khalifa
“a caliph or Muslim ruler; a variant spelling of caliph”