zaman

Zaman is a Turkish word meaning time, era, or period. It is used across Turkish and other Turkic languages, and it is derived from the Arabic zaman and Persian zaman, both meaning time. In Turkish, zaman appears in everyday speech and in literary and scientific terms, such as zaman dilimi (time interval) and geçmiş zaman (past tense).

In Turkish media, Zaman refers to a major daily newspaper established in 1986. The paper grew into one of the country’s most widely circulated outlets and became closely associated with the Hizmet movement led by Fethullah Gülen. In 2016, Turkish authorities took control of Zaman and several affiliated outlets, and Today’s Zaman, the English-language online edition, was shut down as part of government actions against the group.

Outside of media, zaman is used as a common noun in Turkish and appears in various titles and names. The term also appears in philosophical, historical, and cultural contexts to discuss the concept of time, eras, and durations. Its usage reflects both practical daily meaning and broader symbolic notions tied to history and change.

See also: time, era, and Turkish language terminology for time-related expressions.