Afghan

== English == === Alternative forms === Affghan (obsolete) === Etymology === Borrowed from Classical Persian افغان (afġān, “Afghan”), from Bactrian αβαγανο (abagano), first attested in the fourth century CE, most likely a compound of *apāka- (“distant, faraway”), from Proto-Iranian *Hápa, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hápa (“away”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó + *-āna (“ethnic group”), from Proto-Indo-European *-nós, thus: "people from a distant land". Various scholars have proposed Sanskrit etymologies since the nineteenth century (especially prior to the 2007 publication of earlier Bactrian attestations for the word), but linguist Johnny Cheung notes that these are "extremely difficult to reconcile" with recent evidence pointing to a Bactrian source. === Pronunciation === (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈæfˌɡæn/, /ˈæfɡən/, /ˈæf(ˌ)ɡɑːn/ Rhymes: -æn, -ɑːn === Noun === Afghan (plural Afghans) A native or inhabitant of Afghanistan; a person of Afghan citizenship, nationality, or ancestry. [from late 18th c.] Synonyms: Afghani, Afghanistani, Afghanese (dated) Hyponym: Kabuli (historical) A person of Pashtun ethnicity. [from 1625] Synonym of Afghan rug. [from 1888] Synonym of Afghan Hound. [from 1918] Synonym of Afghan coat. [from 1974] Alternative letter-case form of afghan (“crocheted or knitted blanket or throw”) (New Zealand) Alternative letter-case form of afghan (“type of iced chocolate biscuit”) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== Afghanisation Afghanization ==== Descendants ==== →? French: afghan, Afghan ==== Translations ==== === Proper noun === Afghan Pashto, a language primarily spoken by Pashtun people in Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. [from 1811] (UK, military slang) Clipping of Afghanistan. ==== Synonyms ==== Pashto Pashtun ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === Afghan (not comparable) Of, from or relating to Afghanistan, its people, or its culture. Hyponym: Kabuli Of, from, or pertaining to the Pashtun ethnic community. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === See also === Appendix:Countries of the world === References === “Afghan, n. and adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2025. == French == === Etymology === Nominalization of afghan, ultimately from Persian افغان (afġân). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /af.ɡɑ̃/ === Noun === Afghan m (plural Afghans, feminine Afghane) Afghan (native or inhabitant of Afghanistan) [from early 19th c.] Hyponym: Kaboulien === References === === Further reading === “afghan, -ane, adj. et n.”, in Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th edition, 1992–2024, →ISBN