emekli

Emekli is a Turkish term used to describe a person who has left regular employment due to age, years of service, or other retirement provisions, and who usually receives a pension. As an adjective, emekli can modify nouns to indicate retirement status, as in emekli person or emekli personel. As a noun, emekli refers to a person who is retired or a retiree.

Etymology traces emekli to emek, meaning labor or toil, with the suffix -li meaning “having” or “with.” The word thus conveys the idea of someone who has worked and, through that work, qualified for retirement benefits.

Usage and related terms are common in everyday Turkish. Emekli olmak means to become retired, while emeklilik denotes retirement in general. Emekli maaşı or emekli aylığı refers to the monthly pension paid to retirees. Different pension schemes historically existed for civil servants, workers, and self-employed individuals; today, these are administered under the unified system of the Social Security Institution (SGK), with retirement benefits determined by specific rules and reforms.

Pension provision in Turkey is shaped by state policy and demographic changes. The emeklilik system covers financial support for retired workers and is subject to legislative updates that affect eligibility, benefit levels, and retirement age. Retirees may receive additional benefits or adjustments through related programs.

See also: emeklilik, emekli maaşı, SGK.