uzbek

Where does the word "uzbek" come from? It comes from Turkic Özbeg, passing through Chagatai Turkic before entering English (1600s).

Uzbek’s story begins in Turkic: Özbeg meant “Özbeg (a khan's name).” Said to come from Özbeg Khan, who ruled the Golden Horde from 1313 to 1341. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in Chagatai Turkic as Özbek. The Uzbek confederation under Muhammad Shaybani took Samarkand and Bukhara around 1500. It reached English by 1600s as Usbeg. First spelled 'Usbeg' by English travellers and merchants. Today, uzbek means a member of a Turkic people of Central Asia, mostly in Uzbekistan.

1. Stage 1 · Turkic · 1300s Özbeg "Özbeg (a khan's name)", said to come from Özbeg Khan, who ruled the Golden Horde from 1313 to 1341.
2. Stage 2 · Chagatai Turkic · 1500s Özbek "Uzbek", the Uzbek confederation under Muhammad Shaybani took Samarkand and Bukhara around 1500.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s Usbeg "an Uzbek", first spelled 'Usbeg' by English travellers and merchants.