Tangri
/ˈtæŋ.ɡri/noun
A variant spelling of Tengri, the supreme sky deity and cosmic power in ancient Turkic and related Central Asian traditions.
Did you know?In Old Turkic tradition, the khagan’s authority was understood as granted by Tengri, linking political legitimacy directly to the celestial realm.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Turkic
Proto-Turkic
*teŋri
“Reconstructed word for the sky or heavenly deity”
8th Century
Old Turkic
𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃 täŋri
“Heaven, sky, or the supreme celestial power”
10th–13th Centuries
Middle Turkic
teŋri
“God, heaven, or divine authority”
Medieval Mongolian
Mongolian
tenger
“Sky or heaven; the celestial divine realm”
Modern Turkish
Turkish
Tanrı
“God or deity”
Modern English
English
Tengri, Tangri
“A name for the ancient Turkic sky god or celestial principle”