Âzam

The word Âzam (ﺍﻋﻈﻢ) is of Arabic origin and derives from the Arabic verb iẓam, meaning “to be great.”

• Ottoman administrative language: It is used in titles denoting the highest offices in the state apparatus (“Vezîr-i âzam”).
• Classical literary texts: It is preferred when emphasizing greatness, nobility, and superiority (“Bahr-i a’zam”).
• Historical and fixed expressions: Today it is mostly found in phrases borrowed from older texts or established compound expressions (“azam derecede”).