aga
agha
\ˈä-gə, ˈa-\Definition of aga
-s
: a man of authority who bears a title of respect: such as a : a military or civil officer in the Ottoman Empire a vast body of dragoons … under … their great aga — Jonathan Swift b : a Turkish chief the khans … and agas … are probably the oldest landed aristocracy of the world — Harold Lamb c : a religious leader the Aga Khan … claims descent from Fatima — H. G. Rawlinson
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Origin and Etymology of aga
borrowed from Ottoman Turkish ağa “lord, master, respected man (in titles),” going back to Medieval Turkic, literally, “older brother,” borrowed from Mongolian (Uigur-script) aqa, (Arabic-script) āqā “older brother”
First Known Use: 1524
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