(formerly) a title borne by medieval Chinese emperors and Mongol and Turkic rulers: usually added to a name such a ruler a title of respect borne by important personages in Afghanistan and central Asia
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
khan1
(kän, kan),USA pronunciation n.
khan2 (kän, kan),USA pronunciation n.
- World History(in the Altaic group of languages) a title held by hereditary rulers or tribal chiefs.
- World Historythe supreme ruler of the Tatar tribes, as well as emperor of China, during the Middle Ages: a descendant of Genghis Khan.
- a title of respect used in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and other countries of Asia.
- Middle English Ca(a)n, Chan
Turkic Khān, apparently contraction of Khāgān, equivalent. to Turkish kağan ruler 1350–1400
khan2 (kän, kan),USA pronunciation n.
- an inn or caravansary.
- Arabic (al the + khān)
- Persian; replacing Middle English alchan
- Arabic
- 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
an inn in Turkey, certain Arab countries, etc; caravanserai
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
- See Imran Khan
'khan' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Abd-er-Rahman Khan
- Abdurrahman Khan
- Aga Khan
- Aga Khan III
- Aga Khan IV
- Amanullah Khan
- Ayub Khan
- Batu Khan
- Boris I
- Genghis Khan
- Grand Canal
- Imran Khan
- Jenghis Khan
- Jinghis Khan
- Joffrey
- Kalat
- Karakorum
- Khan Tengri
- Kubla Khan
- Kublai Khan
- Mongol Empire
- Mongolia
- Polo
- Rahimyar Khan
- Tatar
- Tatary
- Tengri Khan
- Xanadu
- a
- cham
- khanate
- khansamah
- pleasure dome
- tartar
- yuan