muhtar

muh·tar
M3U1H4T1A1R1
UK/ˈmʊtɑː/US/ˈmʊtɑɹ/

noun

An elected village or neighborhood official in modern Turkey.

OriginTurkish muhtar ← Ottoman Turkish مختار ← North Levantine Arabic مختار →
Scrabble 11
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Meanings

nounmuhtar (plural muhtars)

plural muhtars

  1. alternativehistoricalgovernmentAlternative form of mukhtar: an appointed village headman, particularly in Ottoman contexts.
  2. governmentAn elected village or neighborhood official in modern Turkey.

Origin

  1. Arabicمُخْتَار“chosen”
  2. North Levantine Arabicمختار“village headman”
  3. Ottoman Turkishمختار“village headman”
  4. Turkishmuhtar
  5. Englishmuhtar

From Turkish muhtar and Ottoman Turkish مختار (muhtar, “village headman”), from North Levantine Arabic مختار (“village headman”), from substantive application of Arabic مُخْتَار (muḵtār, “chosen”).

More words from Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, North Levantine Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Turkish muhtar
  • muhtarA local leader in modern Turkey

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

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Cite this entry
APA

muhtar. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/muhtar

MLA

“muhtar.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/muhtar. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “muhtar,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/muhtar.

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