Standard Lemma guide

avania

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˌavəˈniːə/
  • UK: ăv'ə-nē􂀽'ə
  • rhymes with -iːə

1

noun

Meaning 1

A tax or fee imposed on foreigners under the Ottoman Empire, especially one considered to be irregular or extortionate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian avania, from Byzantine Greek ἀβανία (abanía, cfr. modern Greek αβανιά (avaniá) “defamation, slander”), possibly from Arabic خَوَّان (ḵawwān, “unreliable, treacherous”).

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عَوَانِيَّة (ʕawāniyya) — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • Arabic: عَوَانَة (ʕawāna) — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • French: avanie — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • Old French: aveinie — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • Greek: αβανία (avanía) — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • Greek: ἀβανία (abanía) — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • Italian: avania — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • Italian: vania — fee imposed by Ottomans
  • Portuguese: avania — fee imposed by Ottomans