خداوند

What it means

خداوند (khodâvand) means God, the Lord, or the Almighty. The word is pure Persian, built from خدا (khodâ, God or lord, itself an ancient Persian word meaning self-possessing or self-owner) and the suffix وند (-vand), an old Persian suffix indicating origin, descent, or possession. The compound therefore carries the sense of one who possesses lordship or one who is inherently the master. خداوند is more formal, elevated, and literary than the everyday خدا. In ordinary conversation, Iranians say خدا; in prayer, formal speech, scripture recitation, and religious texts, خداوند is preferred. The compound خداوند متعال (khodâvand-e mota’âl) means God Most High, and خداوند رحیم (khodâvand-e rahim) means the Merciful Lord, both common in devotional and formal religious contexts.

How to use it

• خداوند رحیم و مهربانه (khodâvand rahim o mehrabâne) “God is merciful and kind.”
• شکر خداوند رو می‌کنم (shokr-e khodâvand ro mikonam) “I give thanks to God.”
• خداوند متعال همه چیز رو می‌بینه (khodâvand-e mota’âl hame chiz ro mibine) “The Most High God sees all things.”
• به خداوند توکل کن (be khodâvand tavakol kon) “Put your trust in God.”

Cultural note

In Persian the register shift between خدا and خداوند is felt clearly by native speakers. خدا appears in everyday exclamations like خدایا (khodâyâ, O God), خدا رو شکر (khodâ ro shokr, thank God), and خدا نکنه (khodâ nakone, God forbid). خداوند belongs to a more deliberately reverent register: sermons, Quran commentary, poetry, and formal prayers. The word also appears in classical Persian poetry, particularly in Rumi and Hafez, where it carries both its theological weight and its literary beauty.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab