Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شَيْخ | šayḵ | masculine |
| عَجُوز | ʕajūz | masculine |
Both terms refer to an elderly man, but they carry different connotations. شَيْخ is often used as an honorific to denote a man of wisdom, status or religious authority. In contrast, عَجُوز focuses on the physical state of being old.
Which one should you use?
شَيْخ is a respectful term for an elderly man, implying he possesses wisdom or high status. عَجُوز is a more neutral or purely descriptive term that focuses on the person's advanced age. While عَجُوز is used here for a man, it can also be used to describe an old person of either gender.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term عَجُوز can be modified for gender. Its feminine form is عَجُوزَة, meaning 'old woman'.
How do you pronounce it?
šayḵ
When do people say it?
In many Arabic-speaking cultures, calling an elderly man شَيْخ is a way to show honor and respect rather than just stating his age.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, calling a stranger يا شَيْخ can be used as a filler word or an exclamation of disbelief similar to 'Man!' in English.
- In some Gulf countries, شَيْخ is a hereditary title for members of a ruling family rather than a description of age.
- The word شَيْخ is used as a professional title for a scholar of Islamic law regardless of his actual age.
Examples in context
- كَانَ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرًا قَدْ عَمِيَ.He was an old man and had lost his eyesight.This sentence illustrates the use of شَيْخ to describe an elderly man.Tatoeba #9084270 by alkhaldy, translation #9090958 by alkhaldy
- أُحِبُّ الاستماع إلى قصص الرجال المسنين.I enjoy listening to the stories of old men.
- هذا شَيْخٌ حَكِيمٌ جِدًّا.hadha shaykhun hakimun jiddan.This is a very wise old man.
- رَأَيْتُ شَيْخًا فِي المَسْجِدِ.ra'aytu shaykhan fil-masjid.I saw an old man in the mosque.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “old man” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
