ocak

Ocak is a Turkish word with several related but distinct meanings. In contemporary Turkish, Ocak denotes January, the first month of the Gregorian calendar. It is also a common noun meaning hearth, stove, or fireplace, reflecting the traditional role of the hearth as the center of home life.

In some Turkish cultural and religious contexts, ocak can refer to a lodge or hereditary lineage within Sufi or Alevi orders; an ocak is the local religious community led by a spiritual elder, or dede.

As a surname and in toponymy, Ocak is used in Turkey as a family name; several villages or neighborhoods carry Ocak as part of their name, and there are places named simply Ocak.

The word’s usage is primarily Turkish, and related forms appear in other Turkic languages, but the Turkish spelling Ocak is most common in Turkish-language contexts.