shah
UK[ʃɑː]US[ʃɑː]
n
a title of the former monarch of iran.
Etymology
the english word "shah" is a direct borrowing from persian "šāh," meaning "king." this persian term itself descends from the old persian "xšāyaθiya," which also meant "king" or "ruler." the word has deep indo-iranian roots, being cognate with sanskrit "kṣáya," meaning "rule" or "dominion," and is ultimately traceable to the proto-indo-european root tkeh₁-, meaning "to gain power over" or "to rule." the title became widely known in the west through its historical use for the sovereigns of persia (iran), most recently until the iranian revolution of 1979.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from persian.
Examples
the last shah of iran, mohammad reza pahlavi, was deposed in 1979.
the shah's coronation was an elaborate ceremony steeped in ancient tradition.
in chess, the term "checkmate" derives from the persian phrase "shah mat," meaning "the king is helpless."