bostanji

noun bos·tan·ji \ bȯˈstanjē \

variants: or bostangi

Definition of bostanji

plural -s

: one of the imperial guards of Turkey whose duties include protecting the palace and its grounds, rowing the sultan's barge, and acting as imperial gardeners

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Origin and Etymology of bostanji

Turkish bostanci, literally, gardener, from bostan garden, from Persian bustān flower or herb garden, from bō fragrance + -stān place, from Old Persian stāna; akin to Latin stare to stand