Kurdistan

Definition of Kurdistan

The country of Kurds, Land of the Kurds

Etymology

Kurdistan: Kurd-i-stan

Kurd: The Kurds
Kurdi: Belong to the Kurds
Kurdi+stan: The lands (country) belong to the Kurds

The Kurdish people are believed to combining a number of earlier tribal or ethnic groups including Mitanni, Lullubi, Guti, Cyrtians and Carduchi.

The term Kurd is related to the Sumerian “Karda” which was found from Sumerian clay tablets of the third millennium B.C. and academic sources consider Corduene as proto-Kurdish and following names were used when referring the Kurds and Kurdistan in history: Cordyaei, Gordyaei, Karduchoi, Cordueni, Gordyeni, Guti, Kordyoui, Karduchi, Kardueni, Qardu, Kardaye, Qardawaye, Cyrtians, Kyrtians, Cyrtii, Cadusii, Amardi (or "Mardi"), Mardastan, Mardpetakan, Mardian, Mards, Tapyri, Medes, Mādāya, Medoi, Medi, Krak, Ekrad, Ard Al Akrad, Arz ul Akrad, Ekradiyyun, Akradiyyun, Al Kurdi, Kord, Koord, Koerd, Curd, Curdistan, Koordistan.

The Persian theory that the name 'Kurd' (𐭪𐭥𐭫𐭲 kwrt-) originates from the term 'nomad' or 'tent-dweller' is an attempt to belittle Kurdish identity. In conrast, Kurds have also associated the name of “Pers/Pars” with “to beg” and labelled it “Parsek” (beggar) and Pars (begging) to belittle Persians. Historic records show the Persian writers and authorities have always tendency of belittling neighbouring Iranian people. Therefore, the Persian theory of 'origins of names'—which belittles neighboring Indo-Iranian-speaking peoples (such as Azeris, Balochis, Kurds, etc.)—cannot be considered a credible theory, especially regarding the meaning of the name of their historic rivals, such as the Kurds (Medes).

-stan from Avestan stāna “to stand”,

*stā-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning ”to stand, set down, make or be firm" with derivatives meaning "place or thing that is standing”,

Sanskrit sthā́na,
Russian стан “stan”,
Proto-Slavic *stanъ,
English stay, stand, state, estate,
Persian estān.

Updated on September 15, 2025

Word of the day

agir

fire, fever, firearm

Latest words added

  • jor
    up, upper part, top,(...)
  • behdînan
    1) A Region of Kurdistan(...)
  • piçûk
    small, little, short,(...)
Feedback
Feedback
How would you rate your experience?
Do you have any additional comment?
Next
Enter your email if you'd like us to contact you regarding with your feedback.
Back
Submit
Thank you for submitting your feedback!