dey
Americannoun
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the title of the governor of Algiers before the French conquest in 1830.
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a title sometimes used by the former rulers of Tunis and Tripoli.
noun
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the title given to commanders or (from 1710) governors of the Janissaries of Algiers (1671–1830)
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a title applied by Western writers to various other Ottoman governors, such as the bey of Tunis
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of dey
1650–60; < French < Turkish dayι originally, maternal uncle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is why Lagosians sometimes quip, “Èkó no dey carry last”: “Lagos never ranks last in anything.”
From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2024
"Who dey" got its own day on Monday.
From Fox News • Feb. 7, 2022
Coincidentally, that may be one of the few places to hear it in the city, as legions of fans chant “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?” on football Sundays.
From Washington Times • Sep. 6, 2020
“Dat just how dey do,” was the refrain I heard, in patois laced with resignation.
From Salon • Aug. 30, 2018
I true watchin’ birds ’cause dey tell us we veree close to d’shore.”
From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
