the land or territory under the control of a sheik
Also: sheikhdom
Word origin
[1835–45; sheik + -dom]This word is first recorded in the period 1835–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: crosshead, daisy chain, ecumenical, grandstand, hot plate-dom is a suffix forming nouns which refer to domain (kingdom), collection of persons (officialdom), rank or station (earldom), or general condition (freedom)