Where does “acemi çaylak” come from?

acemi çaylak (Turkish) comes from Turkish acemi, from Ottoman Turkish عجمی, from Arabic عَجَمِيّ — barbarian; non-Arab, barbarian.

acemi çaylak (Turkish): greenhorn

Definitions

  1. greenhorn

Ancestry of “acemi çaylak”, step by step

acemi çaylak traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Turkish acemi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Turkishacemiinexperienced; beginner
2Ottoman Turkishعجمیforeigner, barbarian; a member of the corps of...
3Arabicعَجَمِيّbarbarian; non-Arab, barbarian

via Turkish çaylak

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Turkishçaylaknewbie
2Ottoman Turkishچایلاقkite bird
Every word from Arabic عَجَمِيّ →Every word from Ottoman Turkish عجمی →Every word from Turkish acemi →
acemi çaylak — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer