Etymology Map
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Hodja

3 stages from Persian to English.

Today it means a Muslim teacher or religious scholar in Turkey and the Balkans

Where does the word "hodja" come from? It comes from Persian khwāja, passing through Turkish before entering English (1800s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
khwāja
Persian · medieval
"master"
'master', a title of respect for scholars and merchants
2
Stage 2 of 3
hoca
Turkish · 1200s
"teacher"
Nasreddin Hodja, the wise fool of Akşehir, is the hero of countless comic tales
3
Stage 3 of 3
hodja
English · 1800s
"Muslim teacher"
entered English through translations of the Nasreddin Hodja stories
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Read the full story

Hodja’s story begins in Persian: khwāja meant “master.” 'master', a title of respect for scholars and merchants. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Turkish as hoca. Nasreddin Hodja, the wise fool of Akşehir, is the hero of countless comic tales. It reached English by 1800s as hodja. Entered English through translations of the Nasreddin Hodja stories. Today, hodja means a Muslim teacher or religious scholar in Turkey and the Balkans.