Agha ( tr, ağa;
ota, آغا; fa, آقا, āghā; "chief, master, lord"
) is an
honorific
An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...
title for a civilian or officer, or often part of such title. In the Ottoman times, some court functionaries and leaders of organizations like bazaar or the janissary units were entitled to the ''agha'' title. In rural communities, this term is used for people who own considerable lands and are influential in their community. Regardless of a rural community, this title is also used for any male that is influential or respected.
Etymology
The word ''agha'' entered English from Turkish,
and the Turkish word comes from the
Old Turkic ''aqa'', meaning "elder brother". It is an equivalent of
Mongolian word ''aqa'' or ''aka''.
Other uses
"Agha" is nowadays used as a common
Persian honorific title for men, the equivalent of "mister" in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
.
[Khani, S., and R. Yousefi. "The study of address terms and their translation from Persian to English." (2014).] The corresponding honorific term for women is
khanum.
See also
*
State organisation of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire developed over the years as a despotism with the Sultan as the supreme ruler of a centralized government that had an effective control of its provinces, officials and inhabitants. Wealth and rank could be inherited but wer ...
*
Agaluk
*
Aga Khan
Aga Khan ( fa, آقاخان, ar, آغا خان; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imām of the Nizari Ismāʿīli Shias. Since 1957, the holder of the title has been the 49th Imām, Prince Shah Kari ...
*
Agha of the Janissaries
*
Kapi Agha
*
Kizlar Agha
*
Silahdar Agha
References
{{Authority control
Court titles
Government of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman titles
Titles in Iran
Titles of national or ethnic leadership
Titles in Lebanon
Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire
Janissaries
Titles in Bosnia and Herzegovina during Ottoman period