The word 'sultana' has a dual lineage, both stemming from the Arabic title 'sulṭān', meaning 'ruler' or 'power'. In one branch, it entered European languages via Italian, where the feminine suffix '-a' was added to create a term for a female member of a sultan's family. In its other, more common culinary sense, the term was applied to the seedless raisin, likely because this premium variety was originally grown in the Ottoman Sultan's domains or was considered fit for a sultan's table. Thus, the modern meanings preserve a historical link to authority and prestige, whether referring to royalty or a prized fruit.

Structure: sultan + a sultan (from Arabic sulṭān, meaning 'ruler, sovereign') + a (a feminine suffix of Italian origin, used to form feminine nouns).