noun
sultan
SUL-tun/ˈsʌltən/
A ruler of a Muslim state or territory.
The sultan sits formally on the throne in a richly colored robe.
Etymology
Arabic sulṭān originally meant “power” or “dominion.” The abstract idea of authority became a title for the sovereign who exercised it.
In context
ruler whose earlier taste of power had ended in humiliating disaster. 7 years earlier, in 1444, his father had briefly abdicated, placing the 12-year-old Memed upon the throne. The boy sultan's reign was instantly paralyzed by chaos.
More examples
- The sultan received the visiting delegation.
- Several sultans ruled during the dynasty.
- A decree bore the sultan's seal.
Forms
sultan · sultans