قَيْصَر
qayṣarmasculine
The English word 'emperor' can be translated into Arabic as قَيْصَر (qayṣar) or إِمْبْرَاطُور.
Meaning: ruler of an empire (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| قَيْصَر | qayṣar | masculine |
| إِمْبْرَاطُور | ʔimbrāṭūr | masculine |
Both terms refer to a ruler of an empire. قَيْصَر is a historical or classical term, while إِمْبْرَاطُور is a modern loanword used to describe an emperor of any empire.
Which one should you use?
قَيْصَر is used specifically to refer to a Caesar or a Roman-style emperor. In contrast, إِمْبْرَاطُور is the standard modern term for an emperor of any empire.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both provided forms are masculine. The feminine form of the modern term إِمْبْرَاطُور is إِمْبْرَاطُورَة.
How do you pronounce it?
qayṣar
Did you know?
- The word قَيْصَر is the direct ancestor of the English word 'Kaiser' in German and 'Tsar' in Russian.
- The word قَيْصَر appears in the Arabic translation of the Bible, specifically in the phrase 'Render unto Caesar', which is translated as أَعْطُوا قَيْصَرَ مَا لِقَيْصَرَ.
- Because قَيْصَر is so closely tied to the name 'Caesar', it is often used in Arabic poetry and literature as a metaphor for absolute, classical power.
Examples in context
- كَانَ الْقَيْصَرُ حَاكِمًا عَظِيمًا.kāna al-qaysaru ḥākiman ‘aẓīman.The emperor was a great ruler.
- هَلْ كَانَ هَذَا الْقَيْصَرُ قَوِيًّا؟hal kāna hādhā al-qaysaru qawiyyan?Was this emperor powerful?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “emperor” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
