Sheik
/ʃeɪk/noun
A chief or leader in an Arab community; also, by extension, a wealthy or glamorous man.
Did you know?Sheik comes through Arabic from a root meaning “old man,” because in many traditional societies age was linked with wisdom, authority, and leadership.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
PS
*š-y-ḵ
“A root associated with being old or aged.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
shaykh
“An elder, chief, or respected leader.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
shaykh
“A tribal head, learned man, or religious authority.”
17th–18th Century
English
sheik
“A borrowed term for an Arab chief or elder.”
Modern English
English
sheik
“A chief in some Arab communities; also a wealthy or fashionable man, especially in older usage.”