noun
bey
bay
noun
1
A governor or high-ranking official in parts of the former Ottoman Empire.
"The local bey ruled the province on behalf of the Sultan."
2
In some regions, a title for a prince or nobleman.
"He was addressed respectfully as a bey by the villagers."
How to Use Bey
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA historic Ottoman title roughly equivalent to "governor" or "lord."
Word Forms
beys plural, Beys plural
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The local _____ ruled the province on behalf of the Sultan.
Etymology
From Ottoman Turkish "bey," meaning "gentleman" or "chief," tracing back to an old Turkic word for "lord."