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khan

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khan¹

  • /kɑːn/

Sounds like carn (non-rhotic), con (father–bother merger) · Rhymes with -ɑːn

Where it comes from

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.

noun khans · chan · cham · can · kaan

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

Similar: khakan

khan²

  • /kɑːn/

Sounds like carn (non-rhotic), con (father–bother merger) · Rhymes with -ɑːn

Where it comes from

From Arabic خَان (ḵān, “inn, caravanserai, hotel”) and Persian خان (xân, “inn, caravanserai”).

noun khans · chan · cham · can · kaan

  1. Synonym of caravanserai (particularly in Middle Eastern contexts) ‘Guess the name of that,’ she said, pointing to her delicate parts. The porter tried this name and that and ended by asking her to tell him and cease her slapping. ‘The khān of Abu-Mansur,’ she replied.

    Similar: caravanserai

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

    Similar: fonduk

Khan³

  • /ˈkɑːn/

Sounds like con, khan · Rhymes with -ɑːn

Where it comes from

As a surname, via Hindustani خان (xān) / ख़ान (xān), from Classical Persian خَان (xān), from Turkic. As a title, a proper noun form of khan.

proper noun

  1. A male given name used extensively among Muslims of South Asia.
  2. A surname derived from the given name. "Sunscreens protect you from UVA/UVB rays which can be emitted from many sources of light such as the sun, your tubelight and devices," Dr Kaleem Khan said, adding that using sunscreen once a day is the bare minimum you can do for your skin.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: caravansary, caravanserai, caravan inn, genghis, agha, deen, diu, jan, inn, dil, iud, sweat, han, ambrose, aziz, ullah

noun

Similar: khakan

Translations

Every language

noun a ruler over various Turkic and Mongol peoples in the Middle Ages

Españolkan
한국어칸 kan, 가한 gahan, 카간 kagan
日本語カーン kān, 汗 kan, ハーン hān, カガン kagan
中文可汗 kèhán
हिन्दीखान khān, खन khan, ख़ान xān, ख़ागान xāgān, ख़ाक़ान xāqān
Portuguêscã, cão
Françaiskhan
DeutschChan, Khan
Italianokhan
Ελληνικάχάνος chános
Românăhan
Русскийхан xan, кага́н kagán
Tiếng Việthãn, khả hãn
العربيةخَان ḵān
עבריתחַאן khan

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MLA

"khan." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/khan. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

khan. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/khan

Chicago

"khan." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/khan.

BibTeX
@misc{khan_2026,
  title = {khan},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/khan},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}