howadji

== English == === Alternative forms === howaji, howajji === Etymology === From Arabic خَوَاجَا (ḵawājā, “gentleman”), from Persian خواجه (xvâje, “gentleman”). The term came to be applied to merchants because they were formerly the chief travellers. Doublet of hodja. === Noun === howadji (plural howadjis) (archaic) A traveller or merchant from the Middle East === References === “howadji”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.