elebaşı

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish اله‌باشی (elebaşı), equivalent to er (“man, brave”) +‎ baş.

Noun

elebaşı (definite accusative elebaşını, plural elebaşları)

1. ringleader; a leader of bandits, terrorists, etc.

   Synonym: sergerde

Further reading

• Avery, Robert et al., editors (2013), The Redhouse Dictionary Turkish/Ottoman English, 21st edition, Istanbul: Sev Yayıncılık, →ISBN
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “elebaşı”, in Nişanyan Sözlük