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 is used to describe a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
Which one should you use?
While مَلِك refers to a king, the term سُلْطَان refers to a sultan, a title often used for rulers in Islamic history who held sovereign power.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun مَلِك is derived from the root meaning to possess or rule. Its related noun for the state of being a king or the kingdom itself is مُلْك. The feminine form of مَلِك is مَلِكَة, meaning queen.
How do you pronounce it?
malik
Did you know?
- The word مَلِك is used in the Quran to describe God as one of the 'Kings' of the Day of Judgment, showing that the term can describe divine sovereignty as well as earthly rule.
- While سُلْطَان means 'sultan', in a legal or argumentative context, the same word refers to 'authority' or 'proof' used to justify a claim.
- The root of مَلِك is shared with the word مِلْكِيَّة, which means 'property' or 'ownership' in modern Arabic.
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 discussing ancestors and ancestral kingdoms using مَلِك.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 is useful for describing a prominent figure and the king of Byzantium using مَلِك.Tatoeba #9084293 by alkhaldy, translation #9091071 by alkhaldy
- الملك الجديد تولى العرش اليوم.The new king ascended the throne today.
- السلطان قرر تعديل القوانين.The king decided to amend the laws.
- مفيش زي الملوك القدامى.There's nothing like the kings of the past.
- هَذَا الْمَلِكُ يَعِيشُ فِي قَصْرٍ كَبِيرٍ.hadha al-maliku ya'ishu fi qasrin kabir.This king lives in a large palace.
Example conversation
Sarah and Ziad are discussing a history book.
- سارة Saraمن هو المَلِكُ في هذه القصة؟Man huwa al-maliku fi hadhihi al-qissah?Who is the king in this story?
- زياد Ziadإنه المَلِكُ الذي حكم البلاد قديماً.Innahu al-maliku alladhi hakama al-bilada qadiman.He is the king who ruled the country long ago.
- سارة Saraهل كان مَلِكاً عادلاً؟Hal kana malikan adilan?Was he a just king?
- زياد Ziadنعم، كان يحبه كل الناس.Naam, kana yuhibbuhu kullu an-nas.Yes, all the people loved him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
