Etymology Map
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Maharaja

3 stages from Sanskrit to English.

Today it means a great Indian prince or king

Where does the word "maharaja" come from? It comes from Sanskrit mahārāja, passing through Hindi before entering English (1690s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
mahārāja
Sanskrit · ancient
"great king"
'great king', from 'mahā', great, and 'rājan', king, a cousin of Latin 'rex'
2
Stage 2 of 3
mahārājā
Hindi · medieval
"great king"
the title of rulers of Indian princely states
3
Stage 3 of 3
maharaja
English · 1690s
"Indian prince"
used by the East India Company for the rulers it allied with or conquered
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Read the full story

Maharaja’s story begins in Sanskrit: mahārāja meant “great king.” 'great king', from 'mahā', great, and 'rājan', king, a cousin of Latin 'rex'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as mahārājā. The title of rulers of Indian princely states. It reached English by 1690s as maharaja. Used by the East India Company for the rulers it allied with or conquered. Today, maharaja means a great Indian prince or king.