- a variant spelling of caliph
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
kha•lif
(kə lēf′, kā′lif, kal′if ),USA pronunciation n.
- Eastern Religions, Governmentcaliph.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
khalif /ˈkeɪlɪf; ˈkæl-/ n
ca•liph or ca•lif /ˈkeɪlɪf, ˈkælɪf/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Governmenta former title for a religious and civil ruler of the Islamic world:Caliphs claimed to be the successors of Muhammad.
ca•liph
(kā′lif, kal′if ),USA pronunciation n.
cal•iph•al
(kal′ə fəl, kā′lə-),USA pronunciation adj.
- Eastern Religions, Governmenta spiritual leader of Islam, claiming succession from Muhammad.
- Governmentany of the former Muslim rulers of Baghdad (until 1258) and of the Ottoman Empire (from 1571 until 1924).
- Arabic khalīf(a) successor (of Muhammad), derivative of khalafa succeed
- Medieval Latin calipha
- Middle French
- 1350–1400; Middle English caliphe, califfe
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
caliph, calif, kalif, khalif /ˈkeɪlɪf; ˈkæl-/ n
- the title of the successors of Muhammad as rulers of the Islamic world, later assumed by the Sultans of Turkey
'khalif' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
