Definitions for sultanˈsʌl tn
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word sultan
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
the sovereign of an Islamic country.
(often cap.) any of the former sovereigns of Turkey.
an absolute ruler or despot.
Origin of sultan:
1545–55; < MF < Turkish < Ar sulṭān sovereign
sultan, grand Turk(noun)
the ruler of a Muslim country (especially of the former Ottoman Empire)
Originally, a secular office, formally subordinate to -, but de facto the power behind the throne of the (theoretically universal) caliph.
A hereditary ruler in various Muslim states (sultanate), varying from petty principalities (as in Indonesia and in Yemen), often vassal of a greater ruler, to independent realms, such as Oman, Brunei, or an empire such as the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
A variant of solitaire, played with two decks of cards.
A breed of chicken originating in Turkey, kept primarily in gardens for ornamental reasons. See:
a ruler, or sovereign, of a Mohammedan state; specifically, the ruler of the Turks; the Padishah, or Grand Seignior; -- officially so called
Sultan is a noble title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership" and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة sulṭah, meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who claimed almost full sovereignty in practical terms, without claiming the overall caliphate, or to refer to a powerful governor of a province within the caliphate. The dynasty and lands ruled by a sultan are referred to as a sultanate. A feminine form, used by Westerners, is sultana or sultanah; though the very styling misconstrues the roles of wives of sultans. In a similar usage, the wife of a German Field-Marshal might be styled Feldmarschallin. The rare female leaders in Muslim history are correctly known as "sultanas". However, in the Sultanate of Sulu, the wife of the sultan is styled as the "panguian". Among those modern hereditary rulers who wish to emphasize their secular authority under the rule of law, the term is gradually being replaced by king.
The Nuttall Encyclopedia
the title of a Mohammedan sovereign, Sultana being the feminine form.
Translations for sultan
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary
a ruler in certain Muslim countries.
- sultãoPortuguese (BR)
- der SultanGerman
- (회교국의) 군주, 술탄Korean
- 蘇丹(某些穆斯林國家的統治者)Chinese (Trad.)
- 苏丹（某些穆斯林国家的统治者）Chinese (Simp.)
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