wazir

Wazir is a title used in various Muslim-majority and Persianate states to denote a high-ranking political adviser or minister, equivalent to vizier or minister in other languages. The term derives from the Arabic wazir, meaning "one who bears burdens" or "helper," and entered Persian as vazir, later loaned into many languages as wazir, vazir, vizier.

Historically, the wazir was the chief minister of a ruler, responsible for administration, finance, diplomacy, and sometimes military oversight. In empires such as the Abbasid Caliphate, the Persianate dynasties, the Ottoman Empire, and the Mughal Empire, viziers or wazirs often held the real seat of power and could act as regents during a ruler's minority or absence. The exact authority varied by era and dynasty; sometimes the position was closely controlled by the sovereign, other times the vizier effectively led the government.

In modern usage, wazir remains a political title in several countries, though the exact role differs. It is commonly used in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of South Asia to denote a government minister or high official, and appears in various spellings, including wazir, vazir, and vizier. The term also appears in historical and literary contexts to refer to advisers or grand ministers.