Raees, Raeesha, is a title

Title

A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...

 used by the rulers of Muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 states in the Middle East

Middle East

The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

 and South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

. It is translated as president in Arabic

Arabic language

Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...

 and wealthy in Persian

Persian language

Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...

. In Urdu

Urdu

Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...

, the word 'Rais' is also used as the opposite or antonym of Nouveau riche

Nouveau riche

The nouveau riche , or new money, comprise those who have acquired considerable wealth within their own generation...

, or a person who has acquired considerable wealth within his or her generation.

From Persian this word came into Urdu and means a person belonging to the aristocracy

Aristocracy (class)

The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...

. When the book "The pleasure of Philosophy" by Will Durant

Will Durant

William James Durant was a prolific American writer, historian, and philosopher. He is best known for The Story of Civilization, 11 volumes written in collaboration with his wife Ariel Durant and published between 1935 and 1975...

 was translated into Urdu, by Syed Abid Ali Abid

Abid Ali Abid

Syed Abid Ali Abid , M.A., L.L.B. , Urdu and Persian, poet, former principal Dyal Singh College, Lahore, Pakistan was born on 17 September 1906 at Dera Ismail Khan, British India and died in Lahore, Pakistan on 20 January 1971....

, he translated the word aristocracy with the Urdu word 'Raiseeat' 'رئیسيت'.

In India the word was used in many cities, especially in Lucknow

Lucknow

Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....

for the sophisticated and urban members of a culture that combines emotional warmth, a high degree of sophistication, courtesy, and a love for gracious living. This class of Lucknow can be compared with the 18th century aristocrat class of France before the French Revolution.

In the rural areas of the Punjab, the word is also used for the head of an ancient tribe or a person belonging to old landed aristocracy. The adjective 'Azam' great, is also added to mean 'the great rais'.