khan

/kɑn/

Other forms: khans

Historically, khans were Central Asian emperors, nobles, and military leaders. One of the most famous was Genghis Khan, ruler of the 13th-century Mongol empire.

The power held by someone with the title of khan depended on the country or region. In some places a khan was the most powerful ruler, and in others the khan merely controlled an army or small nomadic tribe. While the use of khan as a title faded after the Middle Ages, it became a common surname among South and Central Asian Muslims. Khan's Turkic root is khaqan, or "ruler."

Definitions of khan

1. noun

   a title given to rulers or other important people in Asian countries
   type of:

   ruler, swayer

   a person who rules or commands
2. noun

   an inn in some eastern countries with a large courtyard that provides accommodation for caravans
   synonyms: caravan inn, caravansary, caravanserai

   type of:

   auberge, hostel, hostelry, inn, lodge

   a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers