Sabah was nicknamed "Shahroura", Arabic for "singing bird" by her millions of fans
Lebanese singer and actress Sabah, one of the Arab world's best-known entertainers, has died aged 87.
Sabah, whose real name was Jeanette Gergis al-Feghali, first came to prominence in the 1950s as star of Egyptian movies.
During her more than six-decade long career, she released over 50 albums and acted in 98 films.
She died at her home in Beirut of an unspecified illness, reported Lebanon's National News Agency.
Sabah was the first Arab singer to perform at Olympia in
Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, Piccadilly Theatre in London and the
Sydney Opera House.
Sabah acted several times with Egyptian heart-throb Ahmad Ramzi
Born in Bdadoun, a Lebanese town in the Baabda-Aley province, she released her first song in 1940.
The singer soon caught the eye of Egyptian film producer Asia Dagher, who immediately signed her for three films.
The first of these, El-Qalb Louh Wahid (The Heart Has Its
Reasons), made her a star - and she was known by her character's name,
Sabah, ever after.
But she also acquired several affectionate nicknames,
including "Shahroura", Arabic for "singing bird", and "Sabbouha," a
diminutive of Sabah.
Sabah at the opening night of Cairo's 28th International Film Festival in 2009
Among her most popular films were Soft Hands (1964), Ataba
Square (1959) and The Second Man (1960), in which she played a cabaret
singer who vows to avenge her brother's death at the hands of a
smuggling ring.
The star held Egyptian, Jordanian and US citizenship as well
as Lebanese, and continued to perform and make television appearances
into her 80s.
At home, she was humorously mocked for refusing to leave the
limelight, as well as her garish outfits and use of cosmetic surgery.
Sabah released over 50 albums and acted in 98 films during her career
She married nine times, most most notably to Egyptian actor Roshdi Abaza and Lebanese author-director Wassim Tabbara.
Her last marriage, to Lebanese artist Fadi Lubnan, lasted 17 years.
She had two children, Dr Sabah Shammas and actress Howayda Mansy, both of whom live in the United States.
Analysis - Carine Torbey, BBC News in Beirut
Few artists in the Arab world enjoyed the level of glory and
stardom of Sabah. Her unique voice and glamorous style made her one of
the top singers and actresses in Lebanon and Egypt. In her hometown
she's considered one of the icons of the traditional song.
Sabah belonged to what is referred to as "the golden era of
arts" in the Arab world. Her personal life was as eventful as her
singing career. She got married 9 times but she was alone in her final
days. Her death evokes a lot of nostalgia across the region.
Sabah posing in the 1960s on the set of a film in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria
"Today, Lebanon lost a legend. Sabah is gone but she remains in our hearts," Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram wrote on Twitter.
"Her memory will remain in the minds and hearts of millions," she tweeted.
"Our giants are leaving, our cedars are diminishing. Farewell
our shahroura, our beloved, rest in peace," added singer Ragheb Alameh
in a Twitter post.
Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt wrote on Twitter: "She was a great singer of a Lebanon that my generation knew, that will never come back".