A high-ranking official or commander in the Ottoman Turkish government; a person of great power and importance.
From Turkish 'paşa,' possibly from Persian origins. The word entered English in the 1600s when the Ottoman Empire was a major European power. Used to describe any important official with considerable authority and wealth.
When the Ottoman Empire was at its height, European languages borrowed this word because they were dealing with these powerful officials constantly. 'Pasha' became shorthand for any luxury-loving, powerful person—even today in some contexts.
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