Mahārāja (Sanskrit: महाराज, also spelled maharajah) is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". Rana or Maharana has been practically equivalent title to Maharaja. The female equivalent title Maharani (or Maharanee, Mahārājñī) denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or Maharana, and also in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right the equivalent title was Maharani. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajmata (Queen mother). The term Maharaj denotes separate noble and religious offices, although the fact that in Hindi the suffix 'a' in Maharaja is silent makes the two titles near homophones.