A dried raisin made from seedless grapes, or the wife or female relative of a sultan (an Islamic ruler).
From Turkish 'sultana' or Arabic 'sultān,' originally meaning 'authority' or 'power.' The dried fruit is called a sultana because it was popular in the Ottoman Sultan's lands.
Sultanas look almost identical to regular raisins, but they're actually from different grape varieties—it's a perfect example of how trade, travel, and empire shaped what foods we eat and what we call them.
Sultana defaults to feminine (sultan is masculine). The -a suffix marks female rulers as derivative of male title, reducing them to consort/concubine even when they held independent power (e.g., Ottoman sultanates ruled by women).
Use 'sultan' for any independent ruler regardless of gender, or specify 'female sultan' if gender is contextually relevant. Avoid assuming -a suffix implies subordinate role.
["sultan","female sultan","ruling monarch"]
Sultanas like Kosem Sultan and Hurrem wielded significant political and military power; the diminutive suffix obscures their historical agency as rulers.
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