List of English words of Turkic origin


This is a list of words that have entered into the English language from the Turkic languages. Many of them came via traders and soldiers from and in the Ottoman Empire. There are some Turkic words as well, most of them entered English via the Russian language.

Introduction

Languages of Turkic peoples left numerous traces in different languages, including the English language. Turkic borrowings, which belong to the social and political vocabulary, are generally used in special literature and in the historical and ethnographical works, which relate to the life of Turkic and Muslim peoples. The ethnographical words are generally used in the scientific literature, and in the historical and ethnographical texts.
The adoption of Indian words, among which there were some Turkic borrowings, became one of the ways for the words of the Turkic origin to penetrate English. Additionally, several words of Turkic origin penetrated English through Eastern European languages like Russian and Polish. Albanian, German, Latin, Spanish, Italian, French, Hungarian and Serbo-Croatian were also intermediary languages for the Turkic words to penetrate English, as well as containing numerous Turkic loanwords themselves.
In the nineteenth century, Turkic loanwords, generally of Turkish origin, began to penetrate not only through the writings of the travelers, diplomats and merchants, and through the ethnographical and historical works, but also through the press. In 1847, there were two English-language newspapers in Istanbul – The Levant Herald and The Levant Times, seven newspapers in French, one in German and 37 in Turkish. Turkish contributed the largest share of the Turkic loans, which penetrated into the English directly. This can be explained by the fact that Turkey had the most intensive and wide connections with England. Nevertheless, there are many Turkic loans in English, which were borrowed by its contacts with other peoples – Azerbaijanis, Tatars, Uzbeks, Kazakhs and Kirghiz.
Most of the Turkic loans in English carry exotic or ethnographical connotations. They do not have equivalents in English, do not have synonymic relations with primordial words, and generally are used to describe the fauna, flora, life customs, political and social life, and an administrative-territorial structure of Turkic regions. But there are many Turkic loans, which are still part of the frequently used vocabulary. Some Turkic loans have acquired new meanings, unrelated to their etymology.
To conclude, the words of the Turkic origin began penetrating English as early as the Middle Ages, the Turkic loanwords found their way into English through other languages, most frequently through French. Since the 16c, beginning from the time of the establishment of the direct contacts between England and Turkey, and Russia, in English appeared new direct borrowings from Turkic languages. German, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, French, Arabic, Armenian, Afrikaans, Hungarian, Yiddish, Hindustani, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Malayan, to a different extent, took part in the process of the transfer of the Turkic words into English. The main language from which the borrowings were made, was Turkish.

A

;Afshar: from Turkic Afshar, "a Turkic tribe living majorly in Kerman province of Iran". A Shiraz rug of coarse weave.
;Aga or Agha: from Turkish ağa, a title of rank, especially in Turkey.
;Aga Khan: from Turkic agha and khan, the divinely ordained head of the Nizari branch of Isma'ili Shi'a Islam.
;Agaluk: from Turkish Ağalık, a feudal unit of the Ottoman Empire
;Airan: from Turkish ayran
;Akbash: from Turkish akbaş, literally "a whitehead"
;Akche: from Turkish akçe, also asper, an Ottoman monetary unit consisted of small silver coins.
;Akhissar: from Turkish Akhisar, a city in Manisa Province, Turkey near İzmir. A kind of heavy modern carpet made at Akhisar.
;Altay: from the Altai Mountains of Central Asia, which is from Turkic-Mongolian altan, meaning "golden". 1. the Altai horse 2. the Altay sheep
;Altilik: from Turkish altılık. A coin formerly used in Turkey, originally silver, equivalent to six piastres.
;Araba: . A horse-driven carriage.
;Arnaut: from Turkish arnavut, "an Albanian". An inhabitant of Albania and neighboring mountainous regions, especially an Albanian serving in the Turkish army.
;Aslan: from Turkish Aslan, "lion".
;Astrakhan: from Astrakhan, Russia, which is from Tatar or Kazakh hadžitarkhan, or As-tarxan Karakul sheep of Russian origin or a cloth with a pile resembling karakul.
;Atabeg: from Turkic atabeg, from ata, "a father" + beg "a prince".
;Atabek: from Turkic, an alternative form of Atabeg.
;Ataghan: from Turkish yatağan, an alternative form of yatagan.
;Ataman: from Russian, from South Turkic ataman, "leader of an armed band" : ata, "father" + -man, augmentative suffix.
;Aul: Russian, from the Tatar and Kyrgyz languages.
;Ayran: see Airan

B

;Bahadur: from Hindi bahādur "brave, brave person", from Persian, probably from Mongolian, cf. Classical Mongolian baγatur, which is from Turkic, perhaps originally a Turkic personal name.
;Bairam: from Turkish bayram, literally "a festival"
;Baklava: from Turkish baklava
;Balaclava: from Balaklava, village in the Crimea, which is from Turkish balıklava. A hoodlike knitted cap covering the head, neck, and part of the shoulders and worn especially by soldiers and mountaineers.
;Balalaika: from Russian balalaika, of Turkic origin.
;Balkan: from Turkish balkan "a mountain chain", relating to the states of the Balkan Peninsula, or their peoples, languages, or cultures.
;Bamia: from Turkish bamya.
;Ban: from Romanian, from Serbo-Croatian ban, "lord", which is from Turkic bayan, "very rich person" : bay, "rich" + -an, intensive suff.
;Barbotte: from Canadian French barbotte, which is from Turkish barbut. A dice game.
;Barchan/Barkhan: from Russian, which is from Kirghiz barkhan. A moving sand dune shaped like a crescent and found in several very dry regions of the world
;Bashaw: from Turkish başa, a variant of pasha
;Bashi-bazouk: from Turkish başıbozuk
;Bashlyk: from Turkish başlık, "a hood", from baş, "a head"
;Batman: from Turkish batman. Any of various old Persian or Turkish units of weight
;Beetewk: from Russian bityug, bityuk, which is from Turkic bitük, akin to Chagatai bitü, Uzbek bitäü. A Russian breed of heavy draft horses.
;Beg: from Turkic beg, an alternative form of bey
;Beglerbeg: from Turkish beylerbeyi, a variant of beylerbey
;Begum: from Urdu begam, which is from East Turkic begüm
;Behcet: from the name of Turkish scientist Hulusi Behçet, a multisystem, chronic recurrent disease.
;Bektashi: from Turkish bektaşi
;Bergamot: from French bergamote, from Italian bergamotta, ultimately from Turkish bey armudu, literally, "the bey's pear"
;Bey: from Turkish bey
;Beylerbey: from Turkish beylerbeyi
;Beylik: from Turkish beylik
;Binbashi: from Turkish binbaşı, "chief of a thousand", bin "thousand" + bash "head". A major in the Turkish army.
;Bogatyr: from Russian bogatyr "hero, athlete, warrior", from Old Russian bogatyri, of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish batur "brave"
;Borek: from Turkish börek, ultimately from root bur-, "twisted"
;Borunduk: from Russian burunduk, which is from Mari uromdok or from Turkic burunduk. A Siberian ground squirrel.
;Bosa or boza: from Turkish boza, a fermented drink
;Bosh: from Turkish boş, which means "nonsense, empty"
;Bostanji: from Turkish bostancı, literally "a gardener"
;Bouzouki: from modern Greek mpouzoúki, which is from Turkish bozuk "broken, ruined, depraved" or büzük "constricted, puckered".
;Boyar: from Russian boyarin, from Old Russian boljarin, from Turkic baylar, plural of bay, "rich"; akin to Turkish bay, "rich, gentleman".
;Bridge game: the word came into English from the Russian word, biritch, which in turn originates from a Turkic word for "bugler" or might have come from a Turkish term bir, üç, or "one, three"
;Bugger: from Middle English bougre, "heretic", from Old French boulgre, from Medieval Latin Bulgarus, from Greek Boulgaros, "Bulgarian", probably ultimately from Turkic bulghar, "of mixed origin, promiscuous" or "rebels", from bulgamaq, "to mix, stir, stir up".
;Bulgar: from Bolgar, Bolghar, former kingdom on the Volga river around Kazan. A Russia leather originally from Bolgar.
;Bulgur: from Turkish bulgur, which means "pounded wheat"
;Buran: from Russian buran, of Turkic origin, probably from Tatar buran
;Burka: from Russian, probably from buryi "dark brown ", probably of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish bur "red like a fox"; the Turkic word probably from Persian bor "reddish brown"; akin to Sanskrit babhru "reddish brown".

C

;Cafeneh: from Turkish kahvane, kahvehane "a coffee shop, café", from kahve "coffee" + hane "house"
;Caïque: from Turkish kayık
;Caiquejee: alteration of earlier caikjee, from Turkish kayıkçı, "a boatman"
;Calpack: from Turkish kalpak
;Caracal: from Turkish karakulak, which means "black ear"
;Caraco: from French, perhaps from Turkish kerrake "alpaca coat". A woman's short coat or jacket usually about waist length.
;Caracul: from Uzbek karakul, an alteration of karakul
;Caragana: from New Latin, of Turkic origin; akin to Kirghiz karaghan "Siberian pea tree".
;Caramoussal: from Turkish karamürsel, karamusal, perhaps from kara "black" + mürsel "envoy, apostle"
;Casaba: from Turkish Kasaba, a small town with 2.000 to 20.000 people in Turkey
;Cassock: from Middle French casaque "long coat", probably ultimately from Turkic quzzak "nomad, adventurer", an allusion to their typical riding coat. Or perhaps from Arabic kazagand, from Persian kazhagand "padded coat".
;Cham: from French, which is from Turkish khan, "lord, prince"
;Chekmak: from Turkish, a Turkish fabric of silk and cotton, with gold thread interwoven.
;Chelengk: from Ottoman Turkish çelenk, a bird's feather used as a sign of bravery
;Chiaus: from Turkish çavuş.
;Chibouk: from Turkish çubuk.
;Choga: from Sindhi, of Turko-Mongol origin; akin to Turkish çuha "cloth". A long-sleeved long-skirted cloak for men worn mainly in India and Pakistan.
;Chouse: perhaps from Turkish çavuş "a doorkeeper, messenger"
;Coffee: from Ottoman Turkish kahve via Italian caffè
;Corsac: from Russian korsak, from Kirghiz karsak, "a small yellowish brown bushy-tailed fox"
;Cosaque: from French, literally, "Cossack", from Russian Kazak & Ukrainian kozak, which is from Turkic Kazak. A cracker.
;Cossack: from Turkic quzzaq which means "adventurer, guerilla, nomad"

D

;Desemer: from German, from Low German, alteration of Middle Low German bisemer, besemer, of Baltic origin; akin to Lithuanian bezmnas, of Slavic origin; akin to Old East Slavic bezmenu "desemer, small weight", Polish bezmian, przezmian "balance without pans", perhaps of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish batman "small weight". An ancient balance.
;Devshirmeh: from Turkish devşirme, which means "gathering"
;Dey: from Turkish dayı, literally "a maternal uncle"
;Dolma: from Turkish dolma, which means "filled" or "stuffed"
;Dolman: ultimately from Turkish dolaman, a robe, from dolamak "to wind"
;Dolmus, also Dolmush: from Turkish dolmuş, a share taxi
;Domra: from Kazakh dombra, a musical instrument
;Doner kebab: from Turkish döner kebap
;Donmeh: from Turkish dönme, which literally means "a convert"
;Donum: from Turkish dönüm, an alternative form of dunam
;Doodle: from German dudeln "to play ", from dudel "a bagpipe", from Czech or Polish dudy "a bagpipe", from Turkish düdük "a flute".
;Dunam: from Turkish dönüm, from dönmek "go round"

E

;Elchee or elchi: from Turkish elçi, which means "an ambassador".
;Eleme figs: from Turkish eleme "selected, sifted". Smyrna figs of superior quality packed flat.

F

;Fez: from Turkish

G

;Galiongee: from Turkish kalyonçi, kalyoncu, "a Turkish sailor", from kalyon, Italian galeone + çi or cu, the Turkish suffix.
;Ganch: modification of Turkish kancalamak "to put on a hook", from Turkish kanca "large hook", modification of Greek gampsos "curved" + Turkish suffix -lamak.
;Giaour: from Turkish gâvur
;Gilet: from French, from Spanish gileco, jaleco, chaleco, from Arabic jalikah, "a garment worn by slaves in Algeria", from Turkish yelek "waistcoat, vest"

H

;: from Ottoman Turkish haydut, "bandit, soldier"
;Harambaša: from Turkish haramibaşı, "bandit leader"
;Haremlik: from Turkish haremlik, from harem + the Turkish suffix -lik "a place"
;Horde: from Turkic ordu or orda
;Hungary: most directly from Latin, ultimately from Turkic, c.f. Onogur.

I

;Imam bayildi: from Turkish imambayıldı, "the imam fainted", an eggplant dish prepared with olive oil.
;Imbat: from Turkish imbat, a cooling etesian wind in the Levant.

J

;Janissary: from Turkish yeniçeri, which means "a new soldier"
;Jarlig: from Mongolian: зарлиг, zarlig via Russian iarlyk
;Jelick: from Turkish yelek, the bodice or vest of a Turkish woman's dress.
;Jettru: from Turkic, a union of seven Turkic peoples of Central Asia formed at the end of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century under one khan.

K

;Kadiluk: from Ottoman Turkish kadı, "judge"
;Kaftan: from Turkish kaftan
;Kaique: from Turkish kayık, an alternative form of caïque.
;Kalderimi: from Ottoman Turkish kaldırım, "paved road"
;Kalpak: from Turkish kalpak
;Kangal: from Turkish kangal or sivas kangal köpeği
;Karabagh: A type of rug, named after the Karabagh region in the Caucasus.
;Karabash: from Turkish karabaş, literally "a blackhead"
;Karadagh: from Azeri Karadagh, a mountain range in Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran. a Persian rug having a bold design and rich coloring.
;Karagane: from Russian karagan, which is from Turkic karagan. A species of gray fox found in Russia.
;Karakul: from Uzbek karakul, literally a village in Uzbekistan
;Karakurt: from Russian, of Turkic origin, karakurt, "a venomous spider".
;Kasseri: from New Greek kaseri, from Turkish kaşer, kaşar
;Kavass: from Turkish kavas
;Kazak: from Kazak, a town in Azerbaijan, an Oriental rug in bold colors with geometric designs or stylized plant and animal forms.
;Kefir: from Russian, probably ultimately from Old Turkic köpür, "milk, froth, foam", from köpürmäk, "to froth, foam".
;Kelek: from Turkish kelek, a raft or float supported on inflated animal skins.
;Kendyr: from Russian kendyr, from Turkish kendir. A strong bast fiber that resembles Indian hemp and is used in Asia as cordage and as a substitute for cotton and hemp.
;Ketch: probably from Middle English cacchen "to capture", or perhaps from Turkish kayık "a boat, skiff".
;Khagan: from Turkic kaghan, an alternative form of khan
;Khan: from Turkic khan, akin to Turkish han
;Khanum: from Turkic khanum, akin to Turkish hanım, "a female derivation of Khan"
;Khatun: from Turkic khatūn, perhaps from Old Turkic or from Sogdian kwat'yn, "a queen"
;Kibitka: from Russian, of Turkic origin; akin to Kazan Tatar kibit "booth, stall, tent", Uyghur käbit.
;Kielbasa: from Polish kiełbasa, from East and West Slavic *kŭlbasa, from East Turkic kül bassï, "grilled cutlet", from Turkic kül bastï : kül, "coals, ashes" + bastï, "pressed "
;Kilij: from Turkish kılıç, a Turkish saber with a crescent-shaped blade.
;Kiosk: from Turkish köşk, an open summerhouse or pavilion
;Kipchak: from Russian, which is from Chagatai. 1. One of the ancient Turkic peoples of the Golden Horde related to the Uyghurs and Kyrgyz. 2. The Turkic language of the Kipchaks.
;Kis Kilim: from Turkish kızkilim, a kind of carpet.
;Kizilbash: from Turkish kızılbaş, literally "a red head"
;Knish: from Yiddish, from Ukrainian knysh, probably of Turkic origin.
;Kok-saghyz: from Russian kok-sagyz, from Turkic kök-sagız, from kök "root" + sagız "rubber, gum"
;Komitadji: from Turkish komitacı, a rebel, member of a secret revolutionary society.
;Konak: from Turkish konak, a large house in Turkey.
;Krym-saghyz: from Russian krym-sagyz, of Turkic origin, from Krym "Crimea", + sagız "rubber, gum".
;Kulah: from Turkish Kula, a town in western Turkey. A Turkish rug that is often a prayer rug and that uses the Ghiordes knot.
;Kulak: from Russian kulak "a fist", of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish kol "arm".
;Kulan: from Kirghiz kulan, "the wild ass of the Kirghiz steppe".
;Kumiss: from Turkic kumyz or kumis
;Kurbash: from Turkish kırbaç
;Kurgan: from Russian, of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish kurgan "fortress, castle"
;Kurus: from Turkish kuruş, a Turkish piaster equal to 1/100 lira.

L

;Lackey: from French laquais, from Spanish lacayo, ultimately from Turkish ulak, which means "runner" or "courier".
;Ladik: from Turkish Ladik, a village in Turkey. A rug of fine texture woven in and near Ladik in central Anatolia.
;Latten: from Middle English latoun, laton, from Middle French laton, leton, from Old Provençal, from Arabic latun, of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish altın "gold"
;Lokshen: from Yiddish, plural of loksh "noodle", from Russian dial. loksha, of Turkic origin; akin to Uyghur & Kazan Tatar lakca "noodles", Chuvash läskä.

M

;Mammoth: from Russian mamot, mamont, mamant, perhaps from a Yakut word derived from Yakut mamma "earth"; from the belief that the mammoths burrowed in the earth like moles.
;Martagon: from Middle English, from Old French, from Old Spanish, from Ottoman Turkish martagan, "a kind of turban".
;Merdiban: an accounting method used by the Ottoman Empire, Abbasid empire, and the Ilkhanate; from a word meaning "Ladder" or "Staircase".

N

;Nagaika: from Russian, of Turkic origin; akin to Kirghiz nogai

O

;Oda: from Turkish oda, literally "a room, chamber". A room in a harem.
;Odalisque: from French, which is from Turkish odalık, from oda, "a room"
;Oghuz or Ghuz:from Turkic oghuz. A group of Turks from Central Asia.
;Osmanli: from Turkish osmanlı, from Osman, founder of the Ottoman Empire + lı "of or pertaining to"
;Ottoman: is a form of couch which usually has a head but no back, though sometimes it has neither. It may have square or semicircular ends, and as a rule it is what upholsterers call "overstuffed” — that is to say no wood is visible. In American English, an ottoman is a piece of furniture consisting of a padded, upholstered...
;Ottoman: from French, adjective & noun, probably from Italian ottomano, from Turkish osmani, from Osman, Othman died 1326, founder of the Ottoman Empire

P

;Paklava: modification of Turkish baklava
;Parandja: from Uzbek, a heavy black horsehair veil worn by women of Central Asia.
;Pasha: from Turkish paşa, earlier basha, from bash "head, chief" which equates to "Sir"
;Pashalic: from Turkish paşalık, "title or rank of pasha", from paşa: the jurisdiction of a pasha or the territory governed by him
;Pastrami: from Yiddish pastrame, from Romanian pastrama, ultimately from Turkish pastırma
;Petcheneg: from Russian pecheneg, which is from Turkic. Member of a Turkic people invading the South Russian, Danubian, and Moldavian steppes during the early Middle Ages.
;Pilaf: from Turkish pilav, and ultimately from Sanskrit pulāka-, "lump of boiled rice"
;Pirogi: from Yiddish, from Russian, plural of pirog, perhaps borrowed from Kazan Tatar,
;Pul: from Persian pul, which is from Turkish pul. A unit of value of Afghanistan equal to 1/100 Afghani.

Q

;Qajar or Kajar: from Persian Qajar, of Turkish origin. A people of northern Iran holding political supremacy through the dynasty ruling Persia from 1794 to 1925.
;Quiver: from Anglo-French quiveir, from Old French quivre, probably ultimately from the Hunnic language, kubur in Old Turkish

R

;Rumelia: from Turkish Rumeli, "land of Romans"

S

;Sabot: from Old French çabot, alteration of savate "old shoe", probably of Turkish or Arabic origin.
;Saic: from French saïque, from Turkish shaika.
;Saiga: from Russian saĭgá, from Turkic; cf. Chagatai sayğak
;Saker: through Old French from Arabic saqr, probably from Turkic sonqur, which means "a falcon".
;Samiel: from Turkish samyeli, sam, "poisonous" + yel, "wind".
;Sanjak: from Turkish sancak, which means "a banner"
;Sarma: from Turkish sarma, which means "wrapping"
;Saxaul: from Russian saksaul, which is from Kazakh seksevil. A leafless xerophytic shrub or tree of the family Chenopodiaceae of Asia that has green or greenish branches and is used for stabilization of desert soils.
;Selamlik: from Turkish Selamlık.
;Seljuk: from Turkish Selçuk, "eponymous ancestor of the dynasties". Of or relating to any of several Turkic dynasties that ruled over a great part of western Asia in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries.
;Seraskier: from Turkish serasker, from Persian ser "head, chief" + Arabic asker "an army".
;Sevdalinka: originally Arabic sawda, via Turkish sevda, "black bile". Genre of Balkan folk-music
;Sevruga: through Russian sevryuga ultimately from Tatar söirök.
;Shabrack: from French schabraque, from German schabracke, from Hungarian csáprág, from Turkish çaprak
;Shagreen: from Turkish sağrı, which means "the back of a horse"
;Shaman: from Turkic word šamán.
;Shashlik: from Russian шашлык, which is from Crimean Tatar şışlık, which means "shish kebab"
;Shawarma: ultimately from Turkish çevirme, which literally means "turning"
;Shish: from Turkish şiş, which literally means "a skewer"
;Shish kebab: from Turkish şiş kebabı
;Shor: from Russian, of Turko-Mongol origin; akin to Kalmyk & Mongolian sor "salt", Turkish sure "brackish soil". A salt lake in Turkestan, a salina.
;Som: from Kirghiz, "crude iron casting, ruble"
;Sofa: a long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more people.

T

;Taiga: from Russian taiga, of Turkic origin; akin to Teleut taiga "rocky, mountainous terrain", Turkish dağ "mountain"; Mongolian origin is also possible.
;Taramasalata: from modern Greek taramas "preserved roe", from Turkish tarama "preparation of soft roe or red caviar" + salata "salad".
;Taranchi: from Chagatai Taranci, literally "a farmer".
;Tarantass: from Russian tarantas, which is from Kazan Tatar tarıntas.
;Tarbagan: from Russian, which is from Teleut. A rodent
;Tarbush: from Arabic tarbūsh, from Ottoman Turkish terposh, probably from Persian sarposh "headdress", by association with Turkish ter "sweat". A tasseled cap of cloth or felt, usually red, that is worn by Muslim men either by itself or as the inner part of the turban.
;Tarkhan: from Old Turkic tarkan, a privileged class.
;Tarpan: from Russian, which is from Kirghiz or Kazakh tarpan.
;Tartar: from Persian Tatar, of Turkic origin. A ferocious or violent person - Latin, from "Tartarus" - evil, hell.
;Tau-saghyz: from Russian tau-sagyz, from Turkic tau-sagız, from tau "mountain" + sagız "gum, rubber".
;Tavla: from Turkish tavla, a version of the board game backgammon.
;: from Turkish tekke, a dervish monastery.
;Tenge: from Kazakh teŋge "coin, ruble".
;Tepe: from Turkish tepe, literally "a hill, summit". An artificial mound.
;Terek: from Terek, river of southeast Russia, which is from Balkar Terk. A sandpiper of the Old World breeding in the far north of eastern Europe and Asia and migrating to southern Africa and Australia and frequenting rivers.
;Theorbo: from Italian tiorba, which is from Turkish torba "a bag".
;Toman: from Persian تومان, which is from Turkic tümen, "a unit of ten thousand".
;Tovarich: from Russian tovarishch, from Old East Slavic tovarishch, sing. of tovarishchi, "business associates", which is from Old Turkic tavar ishchi, "businessman, merchant" : tavar, "wealth, trade" + ishchi, "one who works".
;Tughra: from Turkish tuğra, an elaborate monogram formed of the Sultan's name and titles.
;Tungus: a member of the Tungusic people; from Russian, from East Turkic tunguz, "wild pig, boar", from Old Turkic tonguz.
;Turk: from Turkish türk, which has several meanings in English.
;Turki: from Persian turki, from Turk, "Turk", from Turkish Türk.
;Turquoise: from Middle English Turkeys, from Anglo-French turkeise, from feminine of turkeis Turkish, from Turc Turkish.
;Tuzla: from Turkish tuzla, from the name of Lake Tuz in Turkey. A central Anatolian rug.
;Tzatziki: from modern Greek tsatsiki, which is from Turkish cacık.

U

;Ugrian: from Old East Slavic Ugre, which means "Hungarians", of Turkic origin.
;Uhlan: from Turkish oğlan "a boy, servant".
;Urdu: from Hindustani Urdu "camp", which is from Turkic ordu.
;Urman: from Russian, which is from Kazan Tatar urman, "a forest", synonymous with taiga; Turkish word orman.
;Ushak: from Ushak, Turkish Uşak, manufacturing town of western Turkey. A heavy woolen oriental rug tied in Ghiordes knots and characterized by bright primary colors and an elaborate medallion pattern.

Y

;Yardang: from Turkic yardang, ablative of yar "steep bank, precipice".
;Yarmulka: of Turkic origin; akin to Turkish yağmurluk which means "rainwear".
;Yashmak or yashmac: from Turkish yaşmak.
;Yataghan: from Turkish yatağan.
;Yogurt: from Turkish yoğurt.
;Yurt: from Turkic yurt, which means "a dwelling place".
;Yuruk: from Turkish yürük, "a nomad". 1. One of a nomadic shepherd people of the mountains of southeastern Anatolia. 2. A Turkish rug from the Konya and Karaman regions, southeastern Anatolia.

Z

;Zill: from Turkish zil "bell, cymbals", of onomatopoeic origin.