Makhzan

Makhzan, written as مخزن in Arabic, is a term that primarily means a storehouse, warehouse, depot, or repository. In modern Arabic, it is used to designate a building or facility where goods are stored, such as a storeroom in a business or a government depot. The word derives from the Arabic root خ-ز-ن (kh-z-n), related to storing or hoarding.

In addition to its generic sense, makhzan has a specialized political meaning in Morocco. The related term Makhzen refers to the collective apparatus of the state under the Alaouite monarchy, often translated as the state or the governing establishment. The Makhzen encompasses the royal palace, the central administration, security services, and other organs tied to the king’s authority. The concept dates to pre-colonial rule and remains central in discussions of Moroccan politics and society, sometimes used by outsiders and in anglophone sources to denote the Moroccan political system rather than a literal warehouse.

Beyond Morocco, makhzan is used in various Arabic-speaking regions as a generic term for a storage facility. In non-Arabic contexts, the word may appear in transliterations of place names or historical references.

See also: Makhzen (Morocco).