Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🧑‍🦱 A family name 🕌 Religious leader 👥 A social group
shaikh

shaikh

1 9.4
A member of a South Asian Muslim social group
  • noun
  • /ʃeɪk/
  • Indian
translation icon : shaikh
  • The last story Pearl was investigating was on ties between Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and the Qatari government, Salon 10/22/2003.

Examples

  • In villages, there is a hierarchy; someone is "Arain," someone else is "Rajput," and someone is "Shaikh."

    Blog text (26)

  • Two weeks after 9/11, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was briefly sheltered by Qatari royalty (New York Times, 2/6/2003).

    Blog text (12)

  • In many South Asian villages, individuals identify themselves as Shaikh, reflecting their distinct social heritage.

  • The community leader, known as a Shaikh, organized a gathering to discuss local issues affecting the population.

  • During the festival, the Shaikh of the village gave a speech about unity and cultural identity among the residents.

Surface Forms

shaikh singular
shaikhs plural

Etymology

In South Asia, shaikh can mean a member of a social group or community. The word comes from Arabic shaykh ('elder' or 'leader') and began as a title for leaders, which later became a name for the whole community.