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Firman

4 stages from Old Persian to English.

Today it means a royal decree or mandate issued by a sovereign, especially in the former Ottoman and Persian empires

Where does the word "firman" come from? It comes from Old Persian khvadata-, passing through Persian and Ottoman Turkish before entering English (1610s-20s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
khvadata-
Old Persian · ancient
"lord, master"
compound meaning roughly "created by oneself," i.e. "lord"
2
Stage 2 of 4
farman
Persian · medieval
"royal decree"
developed into the word for a royal decree or order
3
Stage 3 of 4
ferman
Ottoman Turkish · medieval
"sultan's decree"
adopted for sultanic edicts across the Ottoman Empire
4
Stage 4 of 4
firman
English · 1610s-20s
"royal mandate or permit"
entered English through accounts of Ottoman and Persian administration
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