Naib
/ˈnaɪ.ɪb/noun
A deputy, governor, or other official acting on behalf of a ruler, especially in Islamic lands.
Did you know?The English word “nabob” ultimately comes from the plural of the same Arabic title, nuwwāb, after British writers encountered powerful officials in Mughal India.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic period
Proto-Semitic
*n-w-b
“A root associated with turning, returning, or taking another’s place”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
nāʾib (نائب)
“A deputy or substitute; literally, one who acts in place of another”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
nuwwāb (نواب)
“Plural of nāʾib: deputies or provincial officials”
Medieval Persian
Persian
nāʾeb
“A deputy or administrative representative”
16th–18th centuries
Anglo-Indian English
naib
“A deputy or local official under a larger authority”
17th–18th centuries
English
nabob
“A wealthy or influential Indian official; later, a conspicuously rich person”