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Added 10 October 2026

khan

/kɑːn/ noun

In Latin: chānus, chanis Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about khan at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A ruler over various Turkic and Mongol peoples in the Middle Ages.
An Ottoman sultan.
A noble or man of rank in various Muslim countries of Central Asia, including Afghanistan.

noun

Synonym of caravanserai
Synonym of fonduk (“inn or hotel in Middle Eastern contexts”).

Origin

Via late Middle English can, chan from Old French chan, from Medieval Latin chanis, from Turkic *qan, contraction of *qaɣan. Cognate with Old Turkic 𐰴𐰍𐰣 (qaɣan), and Mongolian хаан (xaan), possibly from Rouran. Sense 1 (ruler in the Middle Ages) after Genghis Khan, from Middle Mongol ᠬᠠᠭᠠᠨ (qaɣan). Doublet of khagan.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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