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• khan
  khan

  noun

  (in the Altaic group of languages) a title held by hereditary rulers or tribal chiefs.
• Khan
  Khan

  noun

  See Imran Khan

khan

¹ American  

[kahn, kan] / kɑn, kæn /

Archaic, cham

noun

1. (in the Altaic group of languages) a title held by hereditary rulers or tribal chiefs.

2. the supreme ruler of the Tatar tribes, as well as emperor of China, during the Middle Ages: a descendant of Genghis Khan.

3. a title of respect used in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and other countries of Asia.

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khan ² American  

[kahn, kan] / kɑn, kæn /

noun

1. an inn or caravansary.

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khan ¹ British  

/ kɑːn /

noun

1. 1. (formerly) a title borne by medieval Chinese emperors and Mongol and Turkic rulers: usually added to a name

      Kublai Khan

   2. such a ruler

2. a title of respect borne by important personages in Afghanistan and central Asia

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Khan ² British  

/ kɑːn /

noun

1. See Imran Khan

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khan ³ British  

/ kɑːn /

noun

1. an inn in Turkey, certain Arab countries, etc; caravanserai

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Etymology

Origin of khan¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English Ca(a)n, Chan, ultimately from Turkic Khān, apparently contraction of Khāgān, equivalent to Turkish kağan “ruler”

Origin of khan²

1350–1400; < Arabic < Persian; replacing Middle English alchan < Arabic ( al the + khān )

Explanation

Historically, khans were Central Asian emperors, nobles, and military leaders. One of the most famous was Genghis Khan, ruler of the 13th-century Mongol empire. The power held by someone with the title of khan depended on the country or region. In some places a khan was the most powerful ruler, and in others the khan merely controlled an army or small nomadic tribe. While the use of khan as a title faded after the Middle Ages, it became a common surname among South and Central Asian Muslims. Khan's Turkic root is khaqan, or "ruler."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

khan Khan

Because he could not establish descent from Chinggis, he could not claim the title of khan himself.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

Even though an increasing number of Mongols were literate, including Kublai who was the first Mongol great khan to read, the mandarin written exam system fell into disuse.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

London Mayor Sadiq khan said he was “heartbroken” by the news.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 19, 2021

There is this story in our family: Near my grandfather’s shop, by the Great Mosque, there was a khan where a mufti named Haji İbrahim—who belonged to the prominent Pirinççizade clan—drank tea.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 29, 2014

After just a few weeks, the khan was considered dead, and the mansion in the saffron fields fell into decay.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

"We demand the government immediately disclose her whereabouts and ensure her safe return," Khanum's son Shahrez Khan wrote on X.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

Mr. Diamond revisits the conquests of Genghis Khan, the leader of the Mongol empire from 1206 to 1227.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

“With sellers piling into the market and demand falling flat, today’s house hunters can afford to be choosy,” Asad Khan, a senior economist at Redfin, said in a statement.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Any time Al-Drimly heard of attacks in nearby Khan Yunis or Deir al Balah, he would go to check.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

Officer Khan presses his lips together and looks at me for a long moment.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

Related Words

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