Pasha
/ˈpɑːʃə/noun
A high-ranking Ottoman official, governor, or military commander.
Did you know?Its origin is disputed: many scholars connect Ottoman Turkish paşa with Persian pādišāh, the title that also gave English the word “padishah.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Persian period
Old Persian
xšāyaθiya
“King or ruler; a proposed deep ancestor of later Persian royal titles.”
Middle Persian
Middle Persian
pādixšāy
“Ruler or sovereign; an ancestor of the Persian title pādišāh.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
pādišāh
“Emperor or supreme king; a likely source, though not universally accepted, for paşa.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
pāšā
“A shortened or variant form associated with the royal title; its exact relationship to paşa remains uncertain.”
16th Century
Ottoman Turkish
paşa
“A senior Ottoman official, governor, or military commander.”
17th Century
English
pasha
“A title used in English for an Ottoman dignitary or military leader.”
Modern English
English
pasha
“A historical title, and figuratively a person who behaves like an autocratic grandee.”