Rule or sovereignty, especially referring to British colonial rule in India from 1858 to 1947.
From Sanskrit rāja meaning 'king' or 'rule', related to Latin rex 'king'. The word entered English during British colonial period in India, specifically referring to imperial governance.
The word 'raj' connects to a vast family of royal terms across Indo-European languages - from Sanskrit raja to Latin rex to English 'regal'. When the British used 'raj' to describe their rule in India, they were ironically using an ancient Sanskrit word meaning kingship!
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