Qipchaq
/qɪpˈtʃɑːk/noun
A historical Turkic confederation and the name of its language, also commonly spelled Kipchak.
Did you know?The Qipchaqs became known across medieval Eurasia under several names, including Kipchaks, Cumans, and Polovtsians, though the exact original meaning of Qipchaq remains disputed.
Etymological Timeline
11th Century
Middle Turkic
qïfčaq
“An early recorded form associated with the Turkic people later known as the Qipchaqs; its original meaning is uncertain.”
11th Century
Arabic
Qifjāq
“An Arabic-script form used in medieval geographical and linguistic sources for the Qipchaq people.”
12th–13th Century
Persian
Qifchāq
“The name used in Persian historical writing for the expanding Turkic confederation.”
12th–14th Century
Russian
Polovtsi
“The medieval East Slavic name for the Qipchaqs, often rendered in English as Polovtsians.”
12th–14th Century
Latin and European usage
Cuman
“A major European name for the same or closely associated steppe population.”
Modern English
English
Qipchaq / Kipchak
“A historical ethnonym and the name of a Turkic language branch.”
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