Hebrew

Noun

נָשִׂיא • ‎(nasí) m ‎(plural indefinite נְשִׂיאִים, singular construct נְשִׂיא־, plural construct נְשִׂיאֵי־, feminine counterpart נְשִׂיאָה) [pattern: קָטִיל]

1. A president: a head of state in various forms of government.
2. (biblical and historical) A prince: the head or ruler of a nation or tribe.
3. (historical) A chairman, a head; especially, the "prince" (head) of the Sanhedrin.
4. (נְשִׂיא־, n'si-) Singular construct form of נָשִׂיא‎.

Usage notes

• (president): In reference to the present, the noun נשיא is applied to the same heads of state as English president, some of whom are democratically elected leaders, some of whom are appointed by democratically appointed leaders, and some of whom are unelected dictators. It therefore does not have any one specific meaning.
• (prince): Although נשיא is frequently translated as "prince" in historical contexts, the son or heir to a king was more often called a נסיך ‎(nasíkh), and in current usage the latter term is extended to hereditary rulers of principalities, just like English prince.