effendi

[ ih-fen-dee ]

noun,plural ef·fen·dis.
  1. a former Turkish title of respect, especially for government officials.

  2. (in eastern Mediterranean countries) a man who is a member of the aristocracy.

Origin of effendi

1
1605–15; <Turkish efendi<Modern Greek, Greek authentḗs doer, master. See authentic

Words Nearby effendi

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use effendi in a sentence

  • I will not tell you his name, nor the name of the effendi to whose harem he belongs.

    Paul Patoff | F. Marion Crawford

British Dictionary definitions for effendi

effendi

/ (ɛˈfɛndɪ) /


nounplural -dis
  1. (in the Ottoman Empire) a title of respect used to address men of learning or social standing

  2. (in Turkey since 1934) the oral title of address equivalent to Mr

Origin of effendi

1
C17: from Turkish efendi master, from Modern Greek aphentēs, from Greek authentēs lord, doer; see authentic

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012