What is "kaliph"

Caliph \Ca"liph\ (k[=a]"l[i^]f), n. [OE. caliphe, califfe, F. calife (cf. Sp. califa), fr. Ar. khal[=i]fan successor, fr. khalafa to succed (i. e. a successor of Mohammed).] Successor or vicar; the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state; -- a title of the successors of Mohammed both as temporal and spiritual rulers, used formerly by the sultans of Turkey. [Written also calif, kaliph, kalif, khalif.]

n. (alternative spelling of caliph English)

n. the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth; "many radical Muslims believe a Khalifah will unite all Islamic lands and people and subjugate the rest of the world" [syn: caliph, calif, kalif, khalif, khalifah]