noun General Slang

Sheik

/ʃiːk/ · noun · slang

A smooth, romantic young ladies' man of the 1920s, named after Valentino.

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Definitions

1

A handsome, charming young man with a way with women.

“He fancied himself a real sheik with that slicked-back hair.”
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2

A fashionable, romantically aggressive man of the flapper era.

“The local sheiks lined up outside the dance hall.”
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3

A woman's boyfriend or beau.

“She came in on the arm of her sheik.”
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Sheik In A Sentence

Every sheik in town wanted a dance with her.
Don't trust that sheik, he's got a girl in every borough.
He dressed like a sheik but danced like a dud.

Origin & Usage

Popularized in 1920s American slang by Rudolph Valentino's 1921 film 'The Sheik,' which made the figure of the exotic, romantic male a youth-culture icon. It paired with 'sheba' for the era's glamorous young couples.

Variants sheikh
Tags #1920s#flapper#jazz-age#prohibition#vintage#people

People Also Ask

What does 'sheik' mean in 1920s slang?

It means a smooth, attractive young man and ladies' man, the male counterpart to a 'sheba.'

Where did 'sheik' come from?

From Rudolph Valentino's 1921 hit film 'The Sheik,' which turned the romantic-hero image into 1920s youth slang.

Is 'sheik' an insult?

Not usually. It described a charmer, though it could carry a sly hint that he was a bit too smooth for his own good.

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