sultana

noun

sul·​ta·​na (ˌ)səl-ˈta-nə 

1

: a woman who is a member of a sultan's family

especially : a sultan's wife

2

a

: a pale yellow seedless grape grown for raisins and wine

b

: the raisin of a sultana

Examples of sultana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Both dark seedless raisins and sultanas (golden raisins) come from Thompson Seedless grapes, a light green–gold variety. — Lauren O'Connor, Health, 28 Oct. 2025

The palate reveals rich sultanas and apricot fruit, alongside creamy vanilla. — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025

It is finished with hints of honey, and encountered with a soft, lingering finish reminiscent of plump sultanas and ripe cherries. — Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 6 Sep. 2024

In another example of Islamic women rulers’ reach, a century after Zumurrud, Shajar al-Durr ruled independently as the sultana of Egypt, albeit for only three months. — Katherine Pangonis, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Feb. 2022

Due to an 18th-century mania for all things Turkish, the French trendsetter Madame de Pompadour (left) chose to be painted as a sultana. — Nancy MacDonell, WSJ, 1 July 2021

Those pirates thrived under the protection of the island’s capricious sultana, cruel in her poverty, weakness, fearful isolation, and unnatural state of unmarried womanly rule. — New York Times, 11 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Italian, feminine of sultano sultan, from Arabic sulṭān

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sultana

noun

sul·​ta·​na (ˌ)səl-ˈtan-ə 

1

: a woman who is a member of a sultan's family

especially : a sultan's wife

2

: a pale yellow seedless grape grown for raisins and wine

also : a raisin prepared by drying this grape