# khan

> English word · Noun · IPA /kɑːn/ · frequency rank #4,684

## Definitions
1. A ruler over various Turkic and Mongol peoples in the Middle Ages.
2. An Ottoman sultan.
3. A noble or man of rank in various Muslim countries of Central Asia, including Afghanistan.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **kin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kin)
- **KIA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kia)
- **kun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kun)
- **kya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kya)
- **Klan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-klan)
- **kiln** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kiln)
- **Kwon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kwon)
- **Kuhn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kuhn)
- **kwan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kwan)
- **Kuan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kuan)
- **Kohn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kohn)
- **Khun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-khun)
- **Koran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-koran)
- **Kiran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-kiran)
- **Khanna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/khan-vs-khanna)
- **ka** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ka-vs-khan)
- **ken** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ken-vs-khan)
- **kay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kay-vs-khan)
- **kai** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kai-vs-khan)
- **kat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kat-vs-khan)

## Common misspellings (5)
`hkan`, `khann`, `khhan`, `khna`, `kkhan`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/khan