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Word of the Day – Monday, October 24th

 


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EMIR (ih-MEER)

A prince, chieftain, or governor, especially in an Islamic nation

Related crosswordese: EMEER, AMEER, AMIR

Common clues: Ruler in a robe; Dubai dignitary; Islamic chief; Middle East ruler; Bahrain bigwig; Weighty Kuwaiti?; Arab leader; Abu Dhabi honcho; OPEC meeting attendee

Crossword puzzle frequency: 16 times a year

Frequency in English language: 34117 / 86800


Emir (also transliterated as amir or ameer) is a high title of nobility or office, historically used in Islamic nations of the Middle East, North Africa, Asia Minor, and the Turkic world, among others.



Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad


While emir is the predominant spelling in English and many other languages, amir, closer to the original Arabic, is more common for its numerous compounds and in individual names. Spelling thus differs depending on the sources consulted.


Emir, meaning "commander" in Arabic, is derived from the Arabic root o-m-r, "to order." Originally simply meaning commander or leader, usually in reference to a group of people, it came to be used as a title of governors or rulers, usually in smaller states, and in modern Arabic usually renders the English word "prince." The word entered English in 1595, from the French émir.






This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Emir".