khan

Meaning

Noun

• A ruler over various Turkish, Tatar 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.
• A caravanserai; a resting-place for a travelling caravan.

Related

Similar words

• khakan

Origin

• Via late Middle English chan from Old French chan, from Medieval Latin chanis, from Turkic *qan, contraction of *qaɣan. Cognate with Old Turkic 𐰴𐰍𐰣, and Mongolian ᠬᠠᠭᠠᠨ, хаан.
• Sense 1 (ruler in the Middle Ages) after Genghis Khan.
• From Persian خان ("caravanserai").