rani

Where does the word "rani" come from? It comes from Sanskrit rajni, passing through Hindi before entering English (1673).

Rani’s story begins in Sanskrit: rajni meant “queen.” The feminine form of rajan, 'king'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as rani. The everyday word for a queen or princely ruler's wife. It reached English by 1673 as rani. British traders and colonists adopted the title. Today, rani means a title for a queen or the wife of a raja in the Indian subcontinent.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient rajni "queen", the feminine form of rajan, 'king'.
2. Stage 2 · Hindi · medieval rani "queen, princess", the everyday word for a queen or princely ruler's wife.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1673 rani "a queen or female ruler in the Indian subcontinent", British traders and colonists adopted the title.