shah

Everyday

1. The title of the king of Iran (Persia) in the past. tree →
2. A title used by some rulers in other lands such as Afghanistan and in old India. tree →
3. (a name) Shah is also a common family name in South Asia. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons the shah was the monarch of Persia (now Iran); the last shah left in the Iranian revolution and Iran became an Islamic republic. In stories set in the old East a shah is like a king or emperor. In chess, the word "check" and "checkmate" come from Persian "shah" and "shah mat" (the king is helpless).

Examples

• The Shah of Iran ruled from a palace in Tehran. tree →
• The last shah left Iran during a revolution. tree →
• In the old Persian story, the shah listened to a thousand tales. tree →
• "Checkmate" comes from Persian words meaning "the shah is helpless". tree →
• Our new classmate's surname is Shah. tree →
• The shah wore a jewelled crown. tree →

Note

Countable: a shah, shahs. Capital S as a title (the Shah). The queen or wife of a shah was called the shahbanu or empress. Do not confuse with "Shia" or "sharp"; as a surname it is a name, not a title.