Khanum

Khanum is a feminine honorific with roots in Turkic and Persian languages. The term is a variant transliteration of khatun or khānum, meaning "lady," "queen," or "wife." Historically it designated a noblewoman, commonly the wife or widow of a khan or khagan, and functioned as a formal title within Turkic and Mongol polities.

Usage and variants: In medieval sources, khanum appeared as the feminine counterpart of khan. In Persian and Turko-Persian contexts it became a general respectful address for women. Variants include khatun and khanum; the Turkish cognate is hanım and is used as a polite form of address in modern speech.

Modern usage: Khanum survives as a given name or surname in parts of Central Asia, Iran, and the Caucasus, and in diaspora communities. It may appear in compound names or as an honorific, reflecting its heritage as a polite title.

Notable examples: Töregene Khatun, regent of the Mongol Empire in the early 1240s, illustrates the historical use of the equivalent title khatun. The term appears in chronicles in various transliterations, reflecting Silk Road cultural exchange.