Etymology Map
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Uzbek

3 stages from Turkic to English.

Today it means a member of a Turkic people of Central Asia, mostly in Uzbekistan

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

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

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.