'Caliph' definitions:
Definition of 'caliph'
From: WordNet
Definition of 'Caliph'
From: GCIDE
- Caliph \Ca"liph\ (k[=a]"l[i^]f), n. [OE. caliphe, califfe, F. calife (cf. Sp. califa), fr. Ar. khal[imac]fan successor, fr. khalafa to succed (i. e. a successor of Mohammed).] Successor or vicar; the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state; -- a title of the successors of Mohammed both as temporal and spiritual rulers, used formerly by the sultans of Turkey. [Written also calif, kaliph, kalif, khalif.] [1913 Webster]