What does soldan mean?
A soldan was an old English name for a falcon, particularly a bird trained for the aristocratic sport of falconry. Such birds were valued for their strength, speed, and ability to hunt game, and they were often presented as gifts or displayed as symbols of rank. The term is no longer part of ordinary modern English, but it survives in dictionaries and in accounts of medieval hunting culture. It belongs to the same historical word family as sultan: in older texts, soldan could also serve as a variant spelling of that title. In modern use, however, the chief meaning associated with the word is the historical falcon, and readers encountering it should expect an archaic or specialized context rather than current usage.
nounAn obsolete term for a falcon, especially one used in medieval falconry.
- An obsolete term for a falcon, especially one kept and flown in medieval falconry.
"The falconer presented the soldan to the king as a gift from the eastern ruler."
"The soldan returned to its perch after a successful flight."
"An illuminated manuscript depicts the trained soldan perched on the falconer's gloved hand."
The plural is encountered only in historical or literary contexts because the word itself is obsolete.
"Several soldans were carried by the visiting court."
Once a prized bird of prey, the soldan survives today only as an historical rarity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does soldan come from?
The word belongs to a family of medieval European forms associated with sultan, a title derived ultimately from Arabic through Ottoman Turkish and medieval European languages. Soldan was used both as an old variant of sultan and as a historical name for a falcon, probably through the prestige attached to falcons kept by rulers in the medieval Islamic world and by European courts. Its falconry sense is now obsolete, although the spelling remains documented in historical and literary sources.
Related word forms
How soldan is actually used
The word is obsolete in modern English and occurs chiefly in historical writing, falconry manuals, and literary texts. The related form soldan was also historically used as a variant spelling of sultan.
Easily confused with soldan
A sultan is a Muslim ruler, whereas a soldan is an obsolete name for a falcon.