What does sultana mean?
A sultana is a large, sweet dried grape without a seed, especially the kind traditionally produced in Turkey and Greece. In British usage, the term is more specific than raisin: sultanas are valued for their plump texture and golden colour and are commonly used in fruit cakes, breads, buns, and festive desserts. The word also has a historical political meaning. A sultana was the wife or female consort of a sultan, a title associated with the Ottoman world and other Muslim courts. Today that sense is mainly encountered in historical writing, whereas the culinary meaning is familiar in British and international English. Although sultanas are a type of raisin, “raisin” alone does not necessarily imply the same product, since other dried grapes may contain seeds and differ in size, flavour, and texture.
A large, sweet, dried seedless raisin, especially one produced in Turkey or Greece.
"The pastry was studded with sultanas and toasted almonds."
Chiefly British; often specifically associated with large, golden, seedless raisins.
Historically, the wife or female consort of a sultan.
"The chronicles depict the sultana as a powerful figure at court."
Historical and literary; not used as a form of ordinary address in modern English.
The plural refers to individual dried raisins and may also be used collectively for them in recipes.
"Add 100 grams of sultanas to the mixture."
A title once associated with a sultan’s household has become a familiar ingredient in cakes, breads, and festive puddings.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of sultana
The English word comes through French sultane, a feminine form associated with sultan; sultan itself derives from Arabic sulṭān through Ottoman Turkish. The culinary sense applies the same name to a dried seedless raisin, although the precise historical reason for this extension is not entirely transparent. Related forms include sultan, sultanate, and the older English noun sultani for a variety of seedless raisin.
How sultana is actually used
For the food sense, the word is chiefly British and may be understood by North American readers as a general term for a golden or seedless raisin. The royal sense is historical and literary rather than a form of ordinary address.