Mughul
/ˈmuːɡəl/noun
A historical variant spelling of Mughal, referring to a member of the Muslim dynasty that ruled much of South Asia from the 16th to 19th centuries.
Did you know?The Mughal emperors traced their ancestry through Timur to Genghis Khan, while the dynasty’s name entered English through Persian and Arabic forms of “Mongol.”
Etymological Timeline
13th Century
Middle Mongolian
Mongγol
“The ethnonym used for the Mongol people; its deeper original meaning remains uncertain.”
13th–14th Century
Persian
Mughul
“Persian form of “Mongol,” used for Mongol peoples and rulers.”
Medieval Period
Arabic
Mughūl
“Arabic rendering of the Mongol ethnonym.”
16th Century
Persian and Hindustani
Mughal
“A Mongol-associated imperial identity adopted by the dynasty founded by Babur in South Asia.”
17th–18th Century
English
Mogul
“An English form referring to a Mughal ruler or, later, any powerful and influential person.”
Modern English
English
Mughul
“A less common historical variant spelling of “Mughal.””