Nabob definition

nābŏb
nabobs
See word origin
Frequency:
(by extension) Someone of great wealth or importance.
noun
1
0
(by extension) A person with a grandiose style or manner.
noun
1
0
A governor in India under the Mughal Empire.
noun
1
1
A person of wealth and prominence.
noun
1
1
A native provincial deputy or governor of the old Mogul Empire in India.
noun
1
1
Advertisement
A very rich or important man.
noun
0
1
An Indian ruler within the Mogul empire; a nawab.
noun
0
1

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
nabob
Plural:
nabobs

Origin of nabob

  • Hindi nawāb, nabāb from Arabic nuwwāb pl. of nā’ib deputy active participle of nāba to represent nwb in Semitic roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • In colloquial usage in English since 1612, from Urdu, from Persian, from the honorific plural of Arabic نائب (nā'ib, “deputy").

    From Wiktionary

Nabob Sentence Examples

  • In a temperate and learned speech, based on Fox's declaration against constitution-mongering, he supported both the enfranchising and the disfranchising clauses, and easily disposed of the cries of "corporation robbery," "nabob representation," "opening for young men of talent," &c. The following year (1832) found Campbell solicitor-general, a knight and member for Dudley, which he represented till 1834.

  • He enjoyed a salary for defending the policy of Lord North's government, and held the lucrative post of London agent to Mahommed Ali, nabob of Arcot.

  • A classical education and the instincts of family pride saved him from both the greed and the vulgar display which marked the typical "nabob," the self-made man of those days.

  • The name of nawdb, corrupted by Europeans into " nabob," appears to be an invention of the Moguls to express delegated authority, and as such it is the highest title conferred upon Mahommedans at the present day, as maharaja is the highest title conferred upon Hindus.

  • In February 1785 he delivered one of the most famous of all his speeches, that on the nabob of Arcot's debts.

More sentences

Related articles

Also Mentioned In

Words near nabob in the Dictionary