Etymology

From Middle Persian štr'stʾn' ‎(*šahrestān, “province; capital, city”), Manichaean Middle Persian šhrystʾn ‎(šahrestān, “province; provincial capital, city”). Synchronically can be analyzed as شهر ‎(šahr, “city”) + ـستان ‎(-stân). Akin to Old Armenian շահաստան ‎(šahastan), an Iranian borrowing.