Saheb
/ˈsɑː.hɛb/noun
A respectful title formerly used in South Asia for a European man or a man of status.
Did you know?Although British colonial usage made Saheb a formal title of rank, its Arabic ancestor ṣāḥib originally meant a companion, associate, or person connected with someone.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣāḥib
“Companion, associate, owner, or person connected with another”
Medieval Arabic and Persian
Arabic/Persian
sāḥib
“Master, possessor, or person of authority”
Medieval South Asia
Persian
sāhib
“A respectful form of address for a superior or notable person”
18th–19th Century
Hindi/Urdu
sāhib / sāheb
“Title used for European men and respected or high-status men”
Modern English
English
saheb
“A South Asian title or respectful address, especially in historical or colonial contexts”