RaushanYoganta at 22:17, 19 March 2026

2026-03-19T22:17:07Z

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{{Short description|Turco-Mongolian honorific title}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2026}}
{{use british english|date=March 2026}}
{{About||3=Hanım (disambiguation)}}

'''Khanum'''{{efn|Also spelled '''Khanam''', '''Qanysham''', '''Kanysham''', '''Khanym''', '''Hanum''', '''Hanım''', '''Hanem''', '''Khanom''', or '''Khanoum''' ({{langx|uz|Xonim/Хоним}}, [[Kyrgyz language|Kyrgyz]]: Канышам/Qanysham ''and'' Каныш/Qanysh ''or'' Каныша/Qanysha, {{langx|kk|Ханым/Hanym}}, {{langx|mn|Ханым}}; {{langx|az|Xanım}}; {{langx|tr|Hanım}}; {{langx|arz|هانم}}; [[Levantine Arabic]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Urdu language|Urdu]]: {{langx|fa|خانم}}; {{langx|hi|ख़ानुम}}; {{langx|bn|খাঁনম or খানম}})}} is a female [[royal family|royal]] and [[aristocracy|aristocratic]] title that was originally derived through a [[Central Asia]]n title, and later used in the [[Middle East]] and [[South Asia]]. It is the [[Femininity|feminine]] equivalent of the title ''[[Khan (title)|Khan]]'' for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic [[Turkic peoples]] living in Asia and Europe and also [[Proto-Mongols|Mongol]] tribes living north and northwest of modern-day [[China]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Illustrated Weekly of India, Volume 90 |date=1969 |publisher=[[The Times Group|Times of India Press]]|page=4 |language=English |quote=In the original meaning “begum” and “khanum” are the feminine equivalents or counterparts of “beg” and “khan”—like the English “lord” and “lady”.}}</ref> In the construction of words in the [[Turkic languages]], the suffix "-''um'' or ''-ım''" adds "''my''". This means the word "Khanum" can be transliterated as "my Khan". This arises from the tale, depicting a Khan announcing to his subjects ''I am your Khan, and She is my Khan (Khanum)''.<ref name="Henning, W. B. p501-522">Henning, W. B., 'A Farewell to the Khagan of the Aq-Aqataran',"Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African studies – University of London", Vol 14, No 3, p 501–522</ref> The [[Rouran]]s were the first people who used the titles [[Khagan]] and Khan for their emperors, replacing the [[Chanyu]] of the [[Xiongnu]], whom [[René Grousset]] and others assume to be [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]].<ref name="Grousset">{{cite book | author = [[René Grousset]] | title = The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia now | publisher = [[Rutgers University Press]] | year = 1988 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/61 61, 585, n. 92.] | isbn = 0-8135-1304-9 | url = https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/61}}</ref>

In Modern [[Turkish language|Turkish]], it is spelled ''Hanım'' and is used similarly to the titles of "[[lady]]" or "[[mrs.]]" or "[[miss]]" in the English language''.'' The title of ''[[Hanımefendi]]'' is a combination of the words Khanum, ''Hanım'' in Turkish, and [[efendi]], and is a more formal title to address women in the modern age.{{cn|date=March 2026}}

Today, the term is used as a way to respectfully address women of any social rank. "Khanum" can be understood as equivalent of "madam", or more colloquially, "ma'am" in some [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] and Turkic influenced countries.{{cn|date=March 2026}}

In [[South Asia]], particularly in [[Afghanistan]], [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]], [[Sindh]], [[Baluchistan]] and [[North India]], ''Khanum'' has been adapted for use as an [[honorific]] for Muslim women of high social status.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

==See also==
*[[Begum]]
*[[Hanım (disambiguation)|Hanım]]
*[[Khatun]]

==Explanatory notes==
{{efnlist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Noble titles]]
[[Category:Women's social titles]]
[[Category:Royal titles]]
[[Category:Turkish words and phrases]]
[[Category:Bengali words and phrases]]
[[Category:Bengali Muslim surnames]]
[[Category:History of women in Turkey]]

Khanum - Revision history

RaushanYoganta at 22:17, 19 March 2026