[bey] 
| 1. | a provincial governor in the Ottoman Empire. |
| 2. | (formerly) a title of respect for Turkish dignitaries. |
| 3. | (formerly) the title of the native ruler of Tunis or Tunisia. |
| bey (bā) n.
[Turkish, from Old Turkic beg, ruler, prince.] |
bey
title among Turkish peoples traditionally given to rulers of small tribal groups, to members of ruling families, and to important officials. Under the Ottoman Empire a bey was the governor of a province, distinguished by his own flag (sancak, liwa). In Tunis after 1705 the title become hereditary for the country's sovereign. Later "bey" became a general title of respect in Turkish and Arab countries, added after a personal name and equivalent to "esquire" (or "sir" in conversation) in English. In the 20th-century Turkish republic, bey, though surviving in polite conversation, was replaced by bay before the name (equivalent to "Mr.").
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