Standard Lemma guide

Hephthalite

adj · noun · 2 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or relating to the Hephthalites.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Hephthalitic

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any of a people who comprised a nomadic confederation in Central Asia during the 5th–6th centuries CE.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Examples

  • 2009, Barbara A. West, "Hephthalites", article in Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania, Infobase Publishing (Facts on File), page 276, The Hephthalites probably began their history as a nomadic people, moving across the Asian steppes when political, military, or social situations favored their movement.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: White Hun

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Hypercorrect respelling of Ephthalite, with unetymological initial h-, from Latin Ephthalītēs, from Ancient Greek Ἐφθαλίτης (Ephthalítēs), from Bactrian Ηβοδαλο (Ēbodalo) + Ancient Greek -ίτης (-ítēs).

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: ephthalite — of or relating to the Hephthalites
  • Russian: эфтали́тский (eftalítskij) — of or relating to the Hephthalites
  • Armenian: հեփթաղ (hepʻtʻaġ) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Azerbaijani: eftalit — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Bulgarian: ефталит (eftalit) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嚈噠 /𫩫哒 — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嚈哒 (Yèdá) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Chinese Mandarin: 挹怛 (Yìdá) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Chinese Mandarin: 挹闐 /挹阗 (Yìtián) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Finnish: hefthaliitti — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • French: Ephthalite — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Greek: Εφθαλίτης (Efthalítis) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Ancient Greek: Ἐφθαλίτης (Ephthalítēs) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Hindi: श्वेत हूण (śvet hūṇ) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Italian: eftalita — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Latin: Ephthalītēs — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Latin: Ephthalīta — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Russian: эфтали́т (eftalít) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Spanish: heftalita — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Swedish: heftalit — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Turkish: Eftalit — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Ukrainian: ефталі́т (eftalít) — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries
  • Uzbek: eftalit — any of a Central Asian people who were in nomadic confederation during the 5th–6th centuries