dey

Where does the word "dey" come from? It comes from Ottoman Turkish dayı, passing through Ottoman Turkish (Algiers) and French before entering English (1650s).

Dey’s story begins in Ottoman Turkish: dayı meant “maternal uncle.” A familiar name the Janissaries gave respected elders among them. By 1671, the word had taken hold in Ottoman Turkish (Algiers) as dayı. From 1671 the Janissary garrison of Algiers elected its own ruler under this title. From there it passed into French as dey by 1700s. In 1827 Dey Hussein struck the French consul with a fly-whisk, the pretext for France's conquest of Algiers in 1830. It reached English by 1650s as dey. Used by English traders and treaty-makers dealing with the Barbary states. Today, dey means the title of the rulers of Ottoman Algiers (and at times Tunis and Tripoli) until 1830.

1. Stage 1 · Ottoman Turkish · 1500s dayı "maternal uncle", a familiar name the Janissaries gave respected elders among them.
2. Stage 2 · Ottoman Turkish (Algiers) · 1671 dayı "ruler of Algiers", from 1671 the Janissary garrison of Algiers elected its own ruler under this title.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1700s dey "ruler of Algiers", in 1827 Dey Hussein struck the French consul with a fly-whisk, the pretext for France's conquest of Algiers in 1830.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1650s dey "governor of Algiers", used by English traders and treaty-makers dealing with the Barbary states.