shah (sha)

[Formerly schah, shaw; = F. schah, a shah, = Ar. Turk. Hind. shāh, satrap). From the Pers. shah, king, are also ult. E. check1, che 1, checker1, exchequer, Cf. also padishah, pasha, bashaw, etc. In the Persian language, the ruler of a land, as either sovereign or va al. The monarch of Persia (usually called the Shah by English writers) is designated by the compound appellation padishan