List of replaced loanwords in Turkish

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This list of replaced loanwords in Turkish includes Ottoman Turkish loanwords mostly of Arabic and Persian, but also French, Greek, and Italian origin, which were replaced with their Turkish counterparts suggested by the Turkish Language Association (Turkish: Türk Dil Kurumu - TDK) as a part of the cultural reforms - in the broader framework of Atatürk's Reforms - following the foundation of Republic of Turkey.

The Turkish Language Association (TDK), established in 1932 by Mustafa Kemal for conducting research on Turkish language, also undertook the initiative to replace Arabic and Persian loanwords with their Turkish counterparts. The association succeeded in removing several hundred Arabic words from the language. While most of the words introduced to the language in this process were newly derived from existing Turkish verbal roots, TDK also suggested using old Turkish words which had not been used in the language for centuries.

Older and younger people in Turkey tend to express themselves with different vocabulary. While the generations born up to the 1940s tend to use the old Arabic origin words (even the obsolete ones), the younger generations favor using the new expressions. Some new words are not used as often as their old counterparts or have failed to convey the intrinsic meanings of their old equivalents. In addition, many new words have inevitably taken up somewhat different meanings, and, therefore, cannot be always interchangeably used with their old words.

Contents

[edit] Lists of replaced loanwords

[edit] Loanwords of Persian and Arabic origin

The list gives the Ottoman Turkish word, the modern spelling of the word in Turkish (as suggested by TDK), the modern Turkish equivalent, and its meaning in English.

Ottoman Turkish word and its transliteration Modern spelling of the Ottoman Turkish word Modern Turkish equivalent Meaning in English Remarks
عضله ˤaḍale adale kas muscle from the verbal version kasmak which means "to oppress"
affetmek* affetmek bağışlamak to forgive In Turkish, etmek is an auxiliary verb which verbalizes a noun corresponds to the verb "to do" in English. In this case af is the Arabic loan word.
عقد ˤaqd *, مقاوله mukâvele akit, mukavele sözleşme, anlaşma contract
عامل ˤâmil amil etmen (for individuals) factor
بارز bâriz * bariz kesin, belli obvious
بسيط basîṭ * basit kolay easy, simple
جنوب cenûb cenup güney south
جواب cevâb * cevap yanıt answer
جمله cümle * cümle tümce ** sentence
چهره çehre çehre yüz face
çeşit*,*** çeşit tür kind, variety
دفعه defˤa *, کره kere * defa, kere kez times (repetition) An example is: I did this three times.
درد derd * dert ağrı pain
دور devr * devir çağ era
دوره devre * devre dönem semester The old word is used in many other meanings, and not used anymore in the meaning of "semester".
ابعاد ebˤâd * ebat boyut dimension, size
ابدى ebedî * ebedî sonsuz forever
اجداد ecdâd ecdat ata ancestry
اجل ecel ecel ölüm death
اجنبی ecnebî ecnebi el, yabancı stranger, foreigner
امنيت emniyyet * emniyet güvenlik security
اثر eser * eser yapıt production (music, film)
اسير esîr * esir tutsak hostage
اوراق evrâk * evrak belge paper document In Arabic, evrāk is the plural of vārāk; in modern Turkish, evrak is used as a singular.
اول evvel * evvel önce before
فعال faˤâl * faal etkin active
فن fenn *, علم ilm * fen, ilim bilim science
فعل fi'l * fiil eylem verb
غرب garb garp batı west
غير gayr gayri olmayan, başka, dışı non-, other In Arabic, "gayr-i" is a prefix which means non- as in "he is a non-Muslim"; "he is not a Muslim".
گزيده güzîde *** güzide seçkin élite
hadise * hadise olay event, happening, fact, occurrence
حافضه hâfıza * hafıza bellek memory The new word is commonly used in electronics, like computer memory, i.e. önbellek for RAM
حفریات hafriyyât hafriyat kazı excavation
حق hak * hak pay portion The old word hak has many other meanings in Turkish.
حقيقت hakikat * hakikat gerçek reality
حاكم hâkim * hâkim yargıç judge
حال hâl *, وضعيت vaziyet * hâl, vaziyet durum situation
خليطه halîta halita alaşım alloy
خراب harâb *, ویران viran *** harap, viran yıkık ruin
حرارت harâret * hararet ısı ¹, sıcaklık ² heat¹, temperature² The old word can be used in both meanings in Turkish language.
حرف harf * harf ses ** letter The new word is homophonic with "sound".
hassas * hassas duyarlı sensitive
حشره haşere * haşere böcek insect
خطا hatâ *, قصور kusûr * hata, kusur yanlış mistake
خاطره hâtıra * hatıra anı memoir
حيات hayât *, عمر ömr * hayat, ömür yaşam life
حيثيت haysiyyet * haysiyet saygınlık respectability
هديه hediyye * hediye armağan gift
هنوز henüz *, *** henüz daha (not) yet
حدت hiddet * hiddet kızgınlık, öfke anger
خلاف hilâf hilaf karşıt opposite
خواجه hôca * hoca öğretmen teacher
خصوص husûs husus konu subject
حضور huzûr * huzur dirlik ** comfort
هجوم hücûm * hücum saldırı attack
حرمت hürmet * hürmet saygı respect
ابتدائی ibtidâ'î iptidai ilkel primary; primitive
افتخار iftihâr * iftihar övünme pride
اختيار ihtiyâr * ihtiyar yaşlı old (age)
احتياط ihtiyât ihtiyat yedek backup, spare
الهام ilhâm * ilham esin inspiration
عمار i'mâr * imar bayındırlık construction, development
امكان imkân * imkân olanak opportunity, possibility
imla * imla yazım spelling
imtihan imtihan sınav, yazılı examination
imtiyaz * imtiyaz ayrıcalık franchise
inhisar inhisar tekel monopoly
insan * insan kul ** human The new word is used almost only in religious context.
irtifa irtifa yükseklik altitude The old word is only used in aviation, as in "the altitude of the plane".
ارثی irsî * ırsi kalıtsal, kalıtımsal hereditary
اسم ism * isim ad name
istirahat * istirahat dinlenme rest
استشناء istisnâ' * istisna aykırı exception
iştigal iştigal uğraş / uğraşı occupation
iştirak iştirak ortaklık association
izah * izah açıklama clarification
izdivaç izdivaç evlilik marriage
kabiliyet * kabiliyet yetenek / yeti talent, ability
kader * kader yazgı ** fate
kâfi kâfi yeter enough
كائنات kâinât kâinat evren universe
kalp * kalp yürek heart
kanun * kanun yasa law
kafiye * kafiye uyak ** rhyme
كانون اول kanun-ı evvel aralık December
كانون شانى kanun-ı sânî ocak January
كلمه kelime * kelime sözcük word
kısım * kısım bölüm part
kuvvet * kuvvet güç or erk power, force In physics, the old word is used for force and the new word is used for power.
لطيفه lâtîfe latife şaka joke
لسان lisân * lisan dil language
لغات lûġat lügat sözlük dictionary
لزوملو lüzûmlu * lüzumlu gerekli necessary
معاش maâş * maaş aylık salary
mabed * mabet tapınak temple
mafsal * mafsal eklem ligament The old word is used for "hinge" (non-anatomical).
mağdur * mağdur kıygın ** wronged, injured The new word is almost never used.
mahlûk * mahluk yaratık creature Sometimes the plural of the old word ("mahlukat") is used by its singular meaning.
mahsul * mahsul ürün product The old word is used for the noun "produce".
mahsus * mahsus özgü peculiar
maksat *, gaye *, hedef * maksat, gaye, hedef amaç or erek goal
makul * makul uygun, elverişli reasonable
manâ * mâna anlam meaning
مانع mâni' * mani engel obstacle
مصرف masraf * masraf gider, harcama cost
مجبور mecbûr * mecbur zorunlu obligation, obligatory Both the new and the old words can be used as either a noun or an adjective.
مجهول meçhul * meçhul bilinmeyen unknown
مفهوم mefhum * mefhum kavram concept
مهتاب mehtap *** mehtap ay ışığı moonlight
مکروه mekruh mekruh iğrenç disgusting The old word also has the religious meaning: forbidden.
melez * melez kırma hybrid
مملکت memleket * memleket ülke country The old word is used for "one's native region"
مراسم merasim * merasim tören ceremony
مرثیه mersiye mersiye ağıt elegy
مسعود mes'ûd mesut mutlu happy
مشهور meşhûr * meşhur ünlü famous
مشروبات meşrubat meşrubat içecek beverage
موقعى mevkiî, مكان mekân * mevki, mekân yer, konum location
ميدان meydân *, ساحه sâha meydan, saha alan ** open area, plaza While the new word is used mainly in mathematics (as in the "area" of a triangle), it is seldom used with the same meaning of the old words.
ميل meyil meyil eğim slant
ميل meyil * meyil eğilim tendency
miras * miras kalıt ** inheritance The new word is almost never used, but its derivatives are in use, such as kalıtımsal (hereditary).
مسافر misâfir * misafir konuk guest
مثال misâl * misal örnek example
مسکين miskîn miskin uyuşuk supine
معامله muamele * muamele davranış treatment, behavior
معما muamma muamma bilmece puzzle, trivia
معاصر muasır muasır çağdaş, güncel contemporary
معاون muavin *, yaver *** muavin, yaver yardımcı helper
معجزه mucize * mucize tansık ** miracle The new word is almost never used.
محقق muhakkak* muhakkak kesin(likle) certain(ly)
محاربه muhârebe, حرب harb, جنگ cenk *** muharebe, harp, cenk savaş war
محتويات muhteviyyât muhteviyat içindekiler ingredients
مقدس mukaddes mukaddes kutsal sacred
منتظم muntazam * muntazam düzgün, düzenli tidy
مربع murabba murabba kare square
معتدل mutedil mutedil ılım(lı) moderate(ly)
موفقيت muvaffakıyyet muvaffakiyet başarı success
مبالغه mübalâgâ mübalağa abartma exaggeration
مجادله mücadele * mücadele çaba, uğraş endeavor
مدافعه müdâfaa müdafaa koruma sustain, protect
مداخله müdâhale * müdahale karışma intervention
مدت müddet * müddet süre duration
موسسه müessese müessese kurum foundation
مهم mühim * mühim önemli important
مومن mümin inanan, inançlı believer
مناسبت münâsebet * münasebet ilişki relation
مراجعت müracaat müracaat başvuru application
mürekkep mürekkep birleşmiş, birleşik composed of The word mürekkep is still used in Turkish in another meaning: ink.
مسابقه müsâbaka müsâbaka karşılaşma match
مسامحه müsamaâ müsamaha hoşgörü tolerance
مستحجن müstehcen * müstehcen uygunsuz inappropriate
مسوده müsvedde * müsvedde taslak draft
مطالعه mütâlaa mütalaa düşünce thought
متارکه mütareke mütareke antlaşma treaty to end hostility
متفرق müteferrik müteferrik dağınık untidy
متخصص mütehassıs mütehassıs uzman expert
مزمن müzmin müzmin süreğen chronic The new word is seldom used.
نغمه nağme nağme ezgi melody
nafile * nafile boşuna futile
نصيحت nasîhat * nasihat öğüt advice, counsel
nazır nazır bakan minister
نفس nefes * nefes soluk breath
nesil * nesil kuşak generation
نتيجه netîce * netice sonuç result
نهايت nihâyet * nihayet son(unda) final(ly)
نكاح nikâh * nikâh düğün wedding In modern Turkish, nikâh is generally used for the wedding ceremony, while düğün is used for the wedding reception or party.
نسبت nisbet * nispet oran ratio
نطق nutq * nutuk söylev speech
پاپوش pabuç pabuç ayakkabı shoe
رای rey rey oy vote
رئيس reîs reis başkan president
rutubet * rutubet nem moisture
رویا rüya * rüya düş dream
روزگار rüzgâr *, *** rüzgâr yel wind
ساده sade *,*** sade yalın plain
سطح satıh satıh yüzey surface
سیاره sayyâre seyyare araba car
سبب sebeb * sebep neden reason
سلامت selâmet selamet esenlik health, soundness
سما sema sema gök sky
سنه sene * sene yıl year
صحت sıhhat sıhhat sağlık health
صحبت sohbet * sohbet söyleşi chat The new word is used in somewhat different contexts.
سوال sual sual soru question
صلح sulh sulh barış peace
سکوت sükût sükût sessizlik silence
sürat* sürat hız velocity, speed In physics, the old word word is used for speed (scalar) and the new word is used for velocity (vectoral).
şahit * şahit tanık witness
شرق şark şark doğu east
şart * şart koşul condition
şatafat(lı) şatafat(lı) gösteriş(li) spectacular (noun and adjective)
شمال şimal şimal kuzey north
şuur * şuur bilinç conscience
طبيعت tabîat * tabiat doğa nature
طبيعى tabîî * tabii doğal natural
tabir, ifade* tabir, ifade deyiş** narration
طلب taleb * talep istek request, demand, wish
طلبه talebe talebe öğrenci student
تعمير ta'mîr *, تعديلات ta'dîlât * tamir, tadilat onarım renovation
tasavvur tasavvur canlandırma, tasarı imagine
tasdik tasdik onay approve
tashih tashih düzeltme correction
تصوير tasvîr * tasvir betimleme description
طياره tayyâre tayyare uçak airplane
تفصيه tavsiye * tavsiye öneri advice
تعادل teâdül teadül denklik equivalence
تعامل teâmül teamül tepkime, davranış reaction, behavior
tebessüm tebessüm gülümseme smile
تبديل tebdîl tebdil değişiklik change
تبريق tebrîk * tebrik kutlama congratulate The new word also has the meaning "celebration".
تجلى tecellî tecelli belirme emerge
تجسم tecessüm tecessüm görünme appearance, manifestation
tecrübe * tecrübe deneyim experience
teçhizat teçhizat donanım equipment
tedbir * tedbir önlem precaution
teessür teessür üzüntü agony
تكامل tekâmül tekamül evrim, başkalaşım maturation, metamorphosis
تقاعد tekaüd tekaüt emeklilik retirement
tekeffül tekeffül yükümlenme beholden
تكليف teklîf * teklif öneri proposal
تلاش telâş * telaş tasa, kaygı worry
tenasüp tenasüp uyum congruity
تنبيه tenbîh * tembih uyarı warning
تنبل tenbel *, *** tembel haylaz lazy
tercih etmek yeğlemek to prefer
tercüme * tercüme çeviri translation
تشرين اول teşrîn-i evvel ekim October
تشرين شانى teşrîn-i sânî kasım November
usül * usül yöntem method
vaat * vaat söz promise (noun)
vakâ vaka olay event
vakur vakur ağır başlı dignified The Turkish expression literally means heavy headed.
vasıf * vasıf nitelik feature, quality
vâsi vâsi engin vast
vaz geçmek * vaz geçmek caymak ** to change one's mind Here, vaz is the Arabic loan word, and geçmek is a Turkish auxiliary verb.
فضيفه vazîfe * vazife görev task, mission
vilayet* vilayet il province
yekpare *** yekpare bütün whole
tefsir * tefsi yorum interpretation, analysis, comment
ضمير zamîr * zamir adıl ** pronoun
زور zôr *, ***,مشكل müşkül zor, müşkül çetin ** difficult

* Old words that are still used in modern Turkish together with their new Turkish counterparts.
** New words that are not as frequently used as the old words.
*** Old words that are of Persian origin.

[edit] Loanwords of other origin

Please note that the list is highly incomplete.

Loanword Turkish equivalent Meaning in English Remarks
detay * ayrıntı detail Loanword is of French origin
doktrin * öğreti doctrine Loanword is of French origin
kalite * nitelik quality Loanword is of French origin
klas * sınıf (toplum bilimi) class (sociology) Loanword is of French origin
kuaför * güzellik salonu/berber beauty/hair salon, barber Loanword is of French origin
kundura * ayakkabi shoe Loanword is of Greek origin
lokanta * aşevi restaurant Loanword is of Italian origin
meridyen * boylam longitude Loanword is of French origin
paralel * enlem latitude Loanword is of Greek origin
plaj * kumsal beach Loanword is of French origin
plato * yayla plateau Loanword is of French origin
problem * sorun problem Loanword is of French origin
proje * tasarı project Loanword is of French origin
restoran * aşevi restaurant Loanword is of French origin
spesiyal * özel special Loanword is of French origin
tretuar * kaldırım pavement / sidewalk Loanword is of French origin
karakter * kişilik character, personality Loanword is of French origin

* Old words that are still used in modern Turkish together with their new Turkish counterparts.

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

  • Yazım Kılavuzu, the official spelling guide of the Turkish language on TDK website
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