caliphate means monarchical government based on a claim of succession to the Islamic State of Muhammad, ruled by a caliph. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 80 out of 100.
caliphate is pronounced /ˈkælɪfeɪt/.
Why “caliphate” is a great word
CALIPHATE — [Noun] The office, jurisdiction, or territory governed by a caliph, asserting succession to the political and religious authority of Muhammad. From Medieval Latin calīphātus, from calīpha (“caliph”) + the Latin suffix -ātus (denoting office or domain). The Latin derives from Arabic khalīfah (“successor, deputy”). Unlike a sultanate, which denotes the domain of a secular Muslim ruler, or an imamate, which emphasizes religious authority within a community or sect, a caliphate is an assertion of universal, fused sovereignty. It is the austere cantonments of the early Rashidun, the glittering court in Baghdad translating Greek scrolls, and the stark, black banners of a modern political fantasy—a temporal kingdom forever measured against a vanished celestial city.
noun
- Monarchical government based on a claim of succession to the Islamic State of Muhammad, ruled by a caliph.