khan
/ˈkɑːn/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.25 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A noble or man of rank in various Muslim countries of Central Asia, including Afghanistan.
noun
Synonym of caravanserai (particularly in Middle Eastern contexts)
name
A male given name used extensively among Muslims of South Asia.
name
A surname derived from the given name.
Example Sentences
- "‘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."
- "At each of these stations there is a hostelry which they call a khan, where travellers alight with their beasts, and outside each khan is a public watering-place and a shop at which the traveller may buy what he requires for himself and his beast."
- ""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."
Etymology
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.