พระยา

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old Khmer brañā, °brañā (“title of high-ranking official”), probably from bra (“an honorific for gods, priests, royal persons, etc, as well as for things and beings in connection with them”, literally “holy; sacred; divine; etc”) + ñā (“constituent of titles of the mandarinate”), an apheresis of ʼājñā (“authority, power; command, order; etc”), according to a proposal of Michel Ferlus in 2008.^[1] Cognate with and re-borrowed as Modern Khmer ព្រះញា (prĕəhñiə).

Pronunciation

Noun

พระยา • (prá-yaa)

1. (archaic)
   1. chief; lord; master.
   2. monarch; sovereign.
2. (historical)
   1. the Thai noble rank above พระ (prá) and below เจ้าพระยา (jâao-prá-yaa).
   2. person holding such rank.