Begum

Begum or Baigum (Persian: بیگم) is a Turkic title given to female family members of Baig. The term Begum, is derived of the word Baig, and means a female member of the Baig family.

It is a title given to women of rank in South Asia. It used to be conferred upon women of royalty or aristocracy at special moments in life including the birth of a son. It derived from Arabic, Persian and Urdu signifying that they are void of care. e.g Begum Hazrat Mahal, Jahanara Begum, Begum Inaara Aga Khan et al.

Colloqially it is used by South Asian Muslim men to refer to their own wives or as a honorific address to a married or widowed woman. e.g Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Begum Khaleda Zia.

The term became known in the West - especially in the French-speaking world - due to Jules Verne's 1879 book "The Begum's Millions" (in French "Les Cinq cents millions de la Begum").

See also

* Baig
* Baig Origins
* Bey
* Mirza
* Begums of Bhopal