howadji

H4O1W4A1D2J8I1

noun

A traveller or merchant from the Middle East

OriginArabic خَوَاجَا ← Classical Persian خواجه →
Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nounhowadji (plural howadjis)

plural howadjis · alternative howaji · alternative howajji

  1. archaicA traveller or merchant from the Middle East

    "O fisherman, have you any fish?" And he held up a string of them and made answer: "O Howadji, I have."

    1854, Bayard Taylor, A Journey to Central Africa; or, Life and Landscapes...

Origin

  1. Classical Persianخواجه“gentleman”
  2. Arabicخَوَاجَا“gentleman”
  3. Englishhowadji

From Arabic خَوَاجَا (ḵawājā, “gentleman”), from Classical Persian خواجه (xwāja, “gentleman”). The term came to be applied to merchants because they were formerly the chief travellers. Doublet of hodja.

More words from Arabic, Classical Persian

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

howadji. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/howadji

MLA

“howadji.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/howadji. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “howadji,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/howadji.

Source: howadji on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.