caliph Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth
    khalifah; kalif; kaliph; khalif; calif.
    • many radical Muslims believe a Khalifah will unite all Islamic lands and people and subjugate the rest of the world

WordNet

Ca"liph noun
Etymology
OE. caliphe, califfe, F. calife (cf. Sp. califa), fr. Ar. khalifan successor, fr. khalafa to succed.
Definitions
  1. Successor or vicar; -- a title of the successors of Mohammed both as temporal and spiritual rulers, now used by the sultans of Turkey, Writting also calif.

Webster 1913