Sheikh, << sheek or shayk, >> is an honorary Arabic title of respect. It also is spelled sheik or shaykh. When applied to women, the title can be spelled sheikha, sheika, or shaykha. The title can refer to (1) an old man, (2) the head of a tribe or village, (3) a religious scholar, (4) an Islamic religious leader, or (5) a member of a ruling family in the Persian Gulf region. When applied to an Islamic religious leader, the term can be used for a formally trained leader as well as for a leader of an order of Sufis (Islamic mystics).
