noun
- a chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad
Usage: historical
Examples
- The caliph ruled over a vast Islamic empire.
- Abu Bakr was the first caliph after Muhammad’s death.
- The Abbasid caliphs established their capital in Baghdad.
- Medieval caliphs combined political and religious authority.
- The last Ottoman caliph was deposed in 1924.
- Historians study the role of caliphs in Islamic civilization.