Turk

¹ American  

[turk] / tɜrk /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Turkey.

2. (formerly) a native or inhabitant of the Ottoman Empire.

3. a Muslim, especially a subject of the Sultan of Turkey.

4. a member of any of the peoples speaking Turkic languages.

5. one of a breed of Turkish horses closely related to the Arabian horse.

6. any Turkish horse.

7. Young Turk.

8. Archaic. a cruel, brutal, and domineering man.

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Turk. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Turkey.

2. Turkic. Also Turk

3. Turkish. Also Turk

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Turk ¹ British  

/ tɜːk /

noun

1. a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Turkey

2. a native speaker of any Turkic language, such as an inhabitant of Turkmenistan or Kyrgyzstan

3. obsolete a violent, brutal, or domineering person

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Turk. ² British  

abbreviation

1. Turkey

2. Turkish

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Other Word Forms

• non-Turk noun

Etymology

Origin of Turk

First recorded in 1400–50; from Old French Turc, Middle English Turke, Turque, ultimately from Turkish Türk; compare Medieval Latin Turcus, Medieval Greek Toûrkos, Middle French turc, Italian turco, Persian turk