Afghan
[ af-gan, -guh n ]
/ ˈæf gæn, -gən /
noun
Also Afghani. a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan.
(lowercase) a soft woolen blanket, crocheted or knitted, usually in a geometric pattern.
Also called Afghan hound. one of a breed of swift hunting hounds having a long, narrow head and a long, silky coat.
adjective
of Afghanistan or its people or language.
RELATED CONTENT
What Does “Wiki” Mean?WikiLeaks has been in the news lately because it released a document that encompasses over 91,000 reports covering the war in Afghanistan. Wikileaks is a site that obtains and publishes sensitive material and is designed to protect whistle-blowers, journalists and activists. Wikipedia is another wiki word that has become ubiquitous. But where does the wiki in WikiLeaks and Wikipedia come from? Wiki was introduced into …
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for afghan
British Dictionary definitions for afghan (1 of 2)
afghan
/ (ˈæfɡæn, -ɡən) /
noun
a knitted or crocheted wool blanket or shawl, esp one with a geometric pattern
a sheepskin coat, often embroidered and having long fur trimming around the edges
Word Origin for afghan
from Afghanistan
British Dictionary definitions for afghan (2 of 2)
Afghan
Afghani (æfˈɡænɪ, -ˈɡɑː-)
/ (ˈæfɡæn, -ɡən) /
noun
a native, citizen, or inhabitant of Afghanistan
another name for Pashto
history an Indian camel driver employed in the outback of Australia
adjective
denoting or relating to Afghanistan, its people, or their language
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for afghan
Afghan
name of the people of Afghanistan, technically only correctly applied to the Durani Afghans; Old Afghan chronicles trace the name to an Afghana, son of Jeremiah, sone of Israelite King Saul, from whom they claimed descent, but this is a legend. The name is first attested in Arabic in al-'Utbi's "History of Sultan Mahmud" written c.1030 C.E. and was in use in India from 13c. Attested from 1833 as a type of blanket or wrap (in full, Afghan shawl); 1973 as a style of sheepskin coat; 1877 as a type of carpet; 1895 as a breed of hunting dog.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper