Afghan

The word “Afghan” means relating to Afghanistan or its people and culture. In plain terms, either something relating to Afghanistan, or (lower case) a cosy knitted blanket.

“Afghan” is pronounced AF-gan (/ˈæfˌɡæn/ in IPA).

Here is “Afghan” used in a sentence: “The restaurant serves traditional Afghan cuisine.”

Depending on how it is used, “Afghan” can be an adjective and a noun.

The word “Afghan” comes from Persian. From Persian afghan, ultimately from an old Bactrian word thought to mean roughly "people from a distant land.".

“Afghan” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Afghan” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to Afghanistan or its people and culture.

Afghan is capitalized when it refers to Afghanistan or its people and culture, since it functions as a proper adjective or noun tied to a nationality. When referring to a knitted or crocheted blanket, afghan is typically written lowercase because it names an object rather than a nationality.

Afghan is the standard adjective and noun describing people, culture, or things relating to Afghanistan. Afghani technically refers to the currency of Afghanistan, though it is sometimes used informally, and less correctly, in place of Afghan to describe people or culture.

An afghan blanket is a knitted or crocheted blanket, and the term is used generally for this style of blanket regardless of who made it. The dictionary definition does not specify an origin story, so no historical claim can be confirmed beyond the naming connection to the word Afghan.