Meaning & use
maharaja
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Meaning
nouncountable
A historical Hindu prince or ruler in India, higher in rank than a raja, especially one who governed a large princely state.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a maharaja' or 'the maharaja' when referring to one ruler.
Patterns
- the Maharaja of <place>
- a maharaja's palace
The Maharaja of Jaipur built a grand palace in the 18th century.
Historically, a maharaja had authority over many smaller local rulers.
The museum displays treasures once owned by a maharaja.
Word forms
| plural | maharajas |
|---|
Common combinations
- the Maharaja of
- The Maharaja of Mysore was known for his progressive reforms.
- maharaja's palace
- Tourists flock to see the maharaja's palace with its mirrored halls.
- powerful maharaja
- In the 19th century, a powerful maharaja could maintain his own army.
- maharaja title
- The British colonial government recognized the maharaja title in treaties.
Synonyms and how they differ
- prince
- A general term for a royal son or ruler; 'maharaja' is more specific to Indian history and implies a higher rank than a raja.
- ruler
- A broad word for anyone who governs; 'maharaja' is a specific historical title with cultural and regional associations.
- monarch
- A neutral term for a king or queen; 'maharaja' is used mainly in the context of Indian princely states.
Word family
Commonly confused: maharaja or maharani?
maharaja vs maharani
Maharani is the female equivalent (a queen or princess), while maharaja refers to a male ruler.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'maharaja' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Maharaja is a historical title for a male Indian ruler of a major state. Option 1 is correct because it describes a ruler. Option 2 is wrong because a female ruler would be a maharani. Option 3 is wrong because maharaja is not a food. Option 4 is wrong because maharaja is not a military rank.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “maharaja”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.