ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shah

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈʃɑ// UK //ʃˈɑː// shah Archaic

n. the title for a king or ruler of Iran in the past. You use it to talk about the leaders of that country before the government changed in 1979.

n. the title of the former hereditary monarch of Iran. Historically used to designate the sovereign of Persia or other Middle Eastern and Central Asian kingdoms.


SIMPLE

The Shah ruled the country for many years.

CONTEXTUAL

Historical documents from the mid-twentieth century often discuss the political reforms introduced by the last Shah of Iran.

COMPLEX

The revolution of 1979 marked the end of the monarchy, leading to the exile of the Shah and a fundamental shift in the nation's governance.

Origin

Two main origins: * Borrowed from Persian شاه (“shah, king”), a Persian surname which is widespread in Iran and in the subcontinent. * Borrowed from Gujarati સાહ (sāh, “merchant”), an occupational surname from Sanskrit साधु (sādhu, “merchant; jeweller; money-lender”).

Usage

Often capitalized when used as a title before a name or when referring to a specific historical figure.

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