sultan

noun

sul·​tan ˈsəl-tᵊn How to pronounce sultan (audio)
Synonyms of sultannext
: a king or sovereign especially of a Muslim state
sultanic
ˌsəl-ˈta-nik How to pronounce sultan (audio)
adjective

Examples of sultan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Prince Khālid ibn Barghash, Ḥamad’s cousin, moved himself into the palace and took the title of sultan while Ḥamad’s body was still warm. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026 The Ottomans also made use of a kind of oath of allegiance, known as ahdname, which early on took the form of a privilege granted by the sultan to the other side. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 In the Sacred Relics Room, visitors can view the Prophet Muhammad’s cloak and sword, while the Harem is located the sultan's private quarters. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026 Guides spoke of the monthlong siege that ended only because of the treachery of a local noble who turned on the sultan and allowed British troops to scale the walls. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sultan

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Arabic sulṭān

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sultan was in 1555

Browse Nearby Words

sultam
sultan
sultana
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sultan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sultan. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sultan

noun
sul·​tan ˈsəlt-ᵊn How to pronounce sultan (audio)
: a king or ruler especially of a Muslim state

More from Merriam-Webster on sultan

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sultan

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sultan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of conscientious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All