khan

1 of 2

noun (1)

1
: a medieval sovereign of China and ruler over the Turkish, Tatar, and Mongol tribes
2
: a local chieftain or man of rank in some countries of central Asia

khan

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a caravansary or rest house in some Asian countries

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English caan, from Middle French kan, kaan, of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish han prince

Noun (2)

Arabic khān

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of khan was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near khan

Cite this Entry

“Khan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/khan. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

khan

noun
ˈkän,
ˈkan
1
: a Mongolian leader
2
: a local chieftain or man of rank in some countries of central Asia
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


A Good Old-Fashioned Quiz

True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY