(historical) A governor of a province or district in the Turkish (e.g. Ottoman) dominions.
in various other places, a prince or nobleman
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/beɪ/
Etymology
Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish بك (bey, “gentleman, chief”), from Old Anatolian Turkish بك (beg, “ruler”), from Proto-Turkic *bēg (“lord”). See there for more.