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caliphate

caliphate

26 9.5
A state or government ruled by a Muslim ruler
  • noun
  • /ˈkælɪfeɪt/
translation icon : califato
  • These lands now belong to the caliphate.
  • Islamic caliphate
  • reestablish the caliphate
  • abolished the caliphate

Within five months, the caliphate of ISIS was gone.

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Examples

  • Affairs of the caliphate will not be run without consulting you.

  • Their leader announces the beginning of a new caliphate in the Middle East.

  • What future do you see for the caliphate, brother?

  • You know, they plan to seize the caliphate from you.

  • The caliphate should be ours.

  • Islamic extremists are calling for a global caliphate, and Europe is first on the list.

    Blog text (14)
  • As a slogan, the caliphate has great symbolic and political significance.

    Academic text (1996)
  • The Ottoman Empire had been the home of the caliphate, and by 1924 both were gone.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Islamism reverts to medieval norms in its aspiration to create a caliphate that rules humanity.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Their leader announces the beginning of a new caliphate in the Middle East.

Synonyms

emirate
vscaliphate
43 7.3

Country or region ruled by a single leader in some Muslim countries

is also the office or authority held by that leader rather than territory
sheikdom
vscaliphate
1 8.6

A country or region where a sheik rules

is also the office or authority held by that leader rather than territory
sultanate
vscaliphate
1 7.0

A country ruled by a sultan

is also the office or authority held by that leader rather than territory
sheikhdom
vscaliphate
1 9.3

A country or area with a Muslim leader called a sheikh

is also the office or authority held by that leader rather than territory

Compounds

9.9

A Turkish terrorist group linked to al-Qaeda, active in Germany that tries to use attacks to overthrow the Turkish government

How Powerful

empire
226 3.5
caliphate
26 9.5
kingdom
276 2.0
city-state
8 5.1

Surface Forms

caliphate singular
caliphates plural

Morphology

caliphate = caliph (transparent) = caliph + ate

Formed by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ate' to 'caliph', yielding 'the office or territory ruled by a caliph', a direct and regular derivation.

Etymology

Caliphate comes from caliph, which comes from the Arabic khalīfah meaning 'successor' or 'representative'. That's why a caliphate is the government or territory ruled by that 'successor', explaining its modern sense as a state led by a caliph.