Nawab
/nəˈwɑːb/noun
A Muslim nobleman or provincial governor in South Asia under the Mughal Empire and later a title of rank.
Did you know?Nawab is a South Asian title borrowed through Persian and ultimately from Arabic, where it was tied to governance and delegated power rather than magic—but in court culture, titles themselves were performative power.
Etymological Timeline
Arabic
Ar
nāʾib
“deputy, lieutenant, one who acts for another”
Persian
Fa
navvāb / nawāb
“deputy, governor; later a high-ranking title”
Mughal period
Fa/Ur
nawāb
“provincial governor or nobleman under the Mughal administration”
18th-19th Century
English
nawab
“a ruling prince or dignitary in India; later, a person of great wealth or status”
Modern English
English
nawab
“a title used historically for Muslim rulers or nobles in South Asia”