Raja (; also spelled
rajah, from
Sanskrit ) is a term for a
monarch or princely rulers in South and Southeast Asia.
Rana is practically equivalent, and the female form
rani (sometimes spelled
ranee) applies equally to the wife of a raja or rana.
Maharaja, or "great king" is in theory a title for more significant rulers in India, but after some inflation of titles over time, there is no clear difference between the terms.