Sheikhdoms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A territory or political unit ruled by a sheikh
2. A form of governance characterized by tribal leadership under the authority of a sheikh
3. A state or region recognized for its cultural and religious leadership attributed to a sheikh

Etymology: "Sheikhdoms" is simply the plural of "sheikhdom," a formation in which the Arabic-derived noun "sheikh" takes the English suffix "-dom." That suffix comes from Old English "-dōm," meaning a state, condition, or domain, as in "kingdom" and "freedom," and it has been productive in English for over a thousand years. The base word "sheikh" entered English from Arabic "shaykh," meaning an elder or chief, and it was used for tribal and religious leaders before becoming a title for rulers of Gulf states and other territories. Attaching "-dom" to it produces a term for the realm over which such a leader holds authority, so a "sheikhdom" is a territory governed by a sheikh, and "sheikhdoms" refers to several such territories at once.

Synonyms: principalities, territories