begum:

(also with the spelling ‘begam’, ‘baigum’; plural: ‘begums‘; pronunciation: the letters ‘g’ is said with a ‘g’ sound as in “gun”, and the letter ‘u’ rhymes with the letter ‘a’ in “about”)

Begum  Nawazish Ali

(in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh) a Muslim lady of high rank or social status;

a widow of a Muslim prince;

a title or polite form of addressing a woman of certain social status,

e.g.

Begum Khaleda Zia is the former First Lady, first woman prime minister and longest ruling prime minister of Bangladesh.

Begumpet, a commercial district in Hyderabad, India, is named after Begum Basheer Ul-Unnisaa Begum, the daughter of the sixth Nizam.

Most Muslim men in Indian and Pakistan like to address their wives with the title ‘begum’ though they do not belong to high rank or status in the society.

For an interesting article on Begum Nawazish Ali, please click here.
Note: ‘Begum’ is also found in the names of Muslim women, irrespective of whether they are of high rank or status in society… just as a name.

About the Author:BC Kumar

BC Kumar, an English Language Teacher, taught in numerous countries including Ethiopia, Oman and India, shares his knowledge and passion for the English Language. Disclaimer: This is a free educational website and all content has been compiled by the author. All copyrights to images and videos belong to their respective owners.

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