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Definition of turkish

turkish

/ˈtɝː.kɪʃ/
tur · kish
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turkish Lexical Profile

• adjective

1

Of, relating to, or characteristic of Turkey, its people, its culture, or their language.

Example

"We enjoyed a traditional Turkish breakfast of olives, cheese, tomatoes, and freshly baked bread."

• noun

1

The Turkic language spoken by the majority of the population in Turkey and Northern Cyprus, written in a modified Latin alphabet since 1928.

Example

"She began learning Turkish before her semester abroad in Istanbul."

2

The citizens or natives of Turkey collectively (used as a plural noun preceded by 'the').

Example

"The Turkish are renowned for their warm hospitality and rich culinary traditions."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for turkish

Word Nuance & Usage

'Turkish' refers specifically to the language and culture of Turkey, whereas 'Turkic' refers to the broader ethno-linguistic family that includes Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Uzbek, and several other related languages.

• Rhymes for turkish

• Nearby Words

turk
turk's cap lily
turkey
turkish
turkish viper
turkiye
turkmen

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the 16th century from the proper noun 'Turk' combined with the Old English suffix '-ish'. The ethnonym 'Turk' entered European languages via Medieval Latin and Byzantine Greek from Old Turkic 'Türk', originally meaning 'strong' or 'powerful'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Turkish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/turkish
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