noun
- A variant spelling of caliph; an Islamic religious and political leader, especially one considered a successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
Usage: Also spelled caliph or khalif; Historical and religious term
Examples
- The kalif ruled over a vast Islamic empire during the medieval period.
- Historical texts refer to the early kalifs who led the Muslim community after Muhammad's death.
- The kalif was both a spiritual and temporal authority in the Islamic state.