مَلِك
malikmasculine
The English word 'king' is translated into Arabic as مَلِك (malik). Wiktionary also lists سُلْطَان (sulṭān).
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مَلِك | malik | masculine |
| سُلْطَان | sulṭān | masculine |
The term refers to a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
Which one should you use?
While مَلِك (malik) refers to a king, سُلْطَان (sulṭān) refers to a Sultan, a specific title for a ruler often used in Islamic or Ottoman contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is مَلِك. To refer to a queen, use the feminine form مَلِكَة. The plural form for kings is مُلُوك.
How do you pronounce it?
malik
Did you know?
- In modern Arabic, calling someone مَلِك in a casual or slang way can be used to describe someone who is the 'boss' or 'master' of a particular skill.
- The Arabic word for king, مَلِك, shares a root with the concept of 'ownership' and 'possession', reflecting the historical view of a ruler owning the land.
- While سُلْطَان refers to a ruler, it also means 'authority' or 'power' in a general sense. A person can have سُلْطَان over a situation without being a royal figure.
Examples in context
- لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ أَبِيهِ.If anyone of his ancestors was a king, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.This sentence is useful for seeing the use of مَلِك in a context regarding ancestral lineage.Tatoeba #9084290 by alkhaldy, translation #9091066 by alkhaldy
- لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ إِنَّهُ يَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِي الْأَصْفَرِ.Ibn Abi Kabsha has become so prominent that even the King of Byzantium is afraid of him.This sentence shows how مَلِك is used when referring to a specific historical ruler.Tatoeba #9084293 by alkhaldy, translation #9091071 by alkhaldy
- صاحِبُ السَّمْوِ المَلِكِيِّ سَيَّاف الثاني يَزُورُ العَاصِمَةَ.The royal highness King Sayyaf II is visiting the capital.
- «بالأمس شاهدت السلطان أحمد في القصر العتيق.»Yesterday, I saw King Ahmed at the old palace.
- هذا هو الأمير أحمد، ملك البلاد.This is Emir Ahmed, the king of the country.
- كَانَ الْمَلِكُ رَجُلًا عَادِلًا جِدًّا.kana al-maliku rajulan 'adilan jiddan.The king was a very just man.
Example conversation
Layla and Ahmad are discussing a history book.
- ليلى Laylaمَنْ هُوَ هَذَا المَلِكُ؟Man huwa hadha al-maliku?Who is this king?
- أحمد Ahmedإِنَّهُ مَلِكٌ مَشْهُورٌ جِدًّا.Innahu malikun mash-hūrun jiddan.He is a very famous king.
- ليلى Laylaهَلْ كَانَ عادِلًا مَعَ شَعْبِهِ؟Hal kāna 'ādilan ma'a sha'bihi?Was he fair to his people?
- أحمد Ahmedنَعَمْ، كَانَ أَحْسَنَ مَلِكٍ فِي عَصْرِهِ.Na'am, kāna ahsana malikin fī 'asrihi.Yes, he was the best king of his era.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
