huzoor

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English

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Etymology

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Ultimately from Arabic حُضُور (ḥuḍūr).

Noun

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huzoor (plural huzoors)

  1. (dated, India) A potentate; often used as a term of respect.
    • 1903, Flora Annie Steel, In the Guardianship of God, Read Books, published 2019, unnumbered page:
      "What are you using to thread the flowers?" I asked curiously.
      "A woman's hair, Huzoor. It is always the hair of a woman who has died, but whose child has lived, that is used for Mai Âtma's crown. Shall I tell the story, Huzoor?"
      "Was she beautiful?" I asked irrelevantly, why I know not.
      "I do not know, Huzoor," he replied. "Am I not blind?"
    • 1924, E. M. Forster, A Passage to India, Penguin, published 2005, page 15:
      ‘Here is my card. Call me a tonga.’
      Huzoor, all are at the Club.’
    • 2015, Madhulika Liddle, Crimson City, Hachette, unnumbered page:
      Muzaffar's instinctive rising to his feet to greet the man seemed to discomfit the man even more. ‘Huzoor,’ he said, with a gulp, ‘I beg you - do not inconvenience yourself -’ and, for no reason that Muzaffar could see, he flushed a dull scarlet. ‘I took the liberty of asking the chowkidar for the huzoor’s address,’ he explained, even though Muzaffar had not asked.

Further reading

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