Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nabob” come from?

Nabob comes from Urdu نواب, from Arabic نُوَّاب, from Arabic نَائِب meaning a deputy or viceroy.

nabob (English): An Indian ruler within the Mogul empire; Someone...

Definitions

  1. An Indian ruler within the Mogul empire; Someone...

Ancestry of “nabob”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiनवाबnabob, nawab
2Portuguesenababo—
3Urduنوابnabob, nawab
4Arabicنَوَّاب—
5Arabicنُوَّاب—
6Arabicنَائِبrepresentative”, “deputy; deputy; naib

Words derived from “nabob”

  • nabobship
  • nabobess
  • nabobery
  • nabobism
  • nabobish
  • Nabob
  • nábobok
  • nábob
Every word from Arabic نَائِب →