Azad Kashmir
/əˌzɑːd kæʃˈmɪər/noun
The official name of the self-governing territory administered by Pakistan in the larger disputed Kashmir region.
Did you know?The word azad means “free” in Persian and Urdu, making the territory’s name not merely geographic but an explicitly political statement about Kashmir’s status.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Kaśmīra
“The ancient name of the Kashmir region; its deeper origin is disputed, though later tradition links it to the sage Kashyapa.”
Classical and Medieval Persian
Persian
Kāshmīr
“The Persian form of the regional name Kashmir.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
Āzād
“Free, noble, or independent; from an Iranian root associated with freedom and nobility.”
20th Century
Urdu
Āzād Kashmīr
“Free Kashmir; the political name adopted for the territory administered by Pakistan.”
Modern English
English
Azad Kashmir
“The conventional English name for that Pakistani-administered territory.”