Sahiba
/səˈhiːbə/noun
A respectful South Asian form of address for a woman, especially a woman of rank or the wife of a sahib.
Did you know?Sahiba is the feminine form of sahib, whose Arabic ancestor originally meant “companion” before developing meanings such as owner, master, or respected person.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣāḥib
“Companion, associate, owner, or one who possesses something; from the root ṣ-ḥ-b, “to accompany.””
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣāḥiba
“Feminine form of ṣāḥib: female companion, associate, or woman who possesses or is associated with something.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
sāḥib
“A respected person, master, lord, or owner; a form adopted from Arabic.”
Medieval to Early Modern South Asia
Hindustani
sāhibā
“A respectful feminine title, especially for a woman of rank or the wife of a sahib.”
19th Century
Anglo-Indian English
sahiba
“An English-rendered South Asian title for a respected woman, corresponding to the masculine sahib.”
Modern English
English
sahiba
“A South Asian form of address for a woman, often used in historical, cultural, or honorific contexts.”