Where does “calife” come from?

calife (Middle English) comes from Old French caliphe, from Medieval Latin calipha, from Arabic خَلِيفَة — vicar, successor; caliph.

Ancestry of “calife”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Old French	caliphe	—
2	Medieval Latin	calipha	caliph
3	Arabic	خَلِيفَة	vicar, successor; caliph

calife — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer