Rais
/ˈraɪ.ɪs/noun
A chief, leader, or ship’s captain, especially in North Africa or the Middle East.
Did you know?The word comes from the Arabic term raʾīs, “chief” or “president,” formed from the Semitic root for “head,” linking leadership with the body’s commanding summit.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*raʔš-
“Head; top; chief”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
raʾīs
“Chief, leader, captain, or president—literally one who is the “head””
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
raʾīs
“A local ruler, commander, or prominent official”
Ottoman Period
Ottoman Turkish
reis
“Chief, commander, or ship’s captain”
18th–19th Century
French
raïs
“A North African chief or shipmaster”
Modern English
English
rais
“A chief, leader, or captain, especially in North Africa or the Middle East”