Where does “bimbashi” come from?

bimbashi (Swahili) comes from Ottoman Turkish بیڭباشی, from Ottoman Turkish باش, from Old Anatolian Turkish بَاشْ, from Proto-Turkic baĺč — head; beginning.

bimbashi (Swahili): sergeant; binbashi

Definitions

  1. sergeant; binbashi

Ancestry of “bimbashi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ottoman Turkishبیڭباشیlieutenant colonel
2Ottoman Turkishباشhead; chief, master, leader, head; prow, bow,...
3Old Anatolian Turkishبَاشْ—
4Proto-Turkicbaĺčhead; beginning
Every word from Proto-Turkic baĺč →Every word from Old Anatolian Turkish بَاشْ →Every word from Ottoman Turkish باش →