haseki

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish حاصكی (ḫasseki), from Persian خاصکی (xâssagi).

haseki (plural hasekis)

1. (historical) The chief consort of an Ottoman sultan; later, any of several consorts of the sultan.
   • 2016, Şefika Şule Erçetin, Women Leaders in Chaotic Environments, page 76:

     Hasekis had the strongest status in the hierarchy following sultanas according to the amount of their salaries and they took place in this status in harem.

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish حاصكی (ḫasseki, “(formerly) one of a body of sergeants-at-arms, sixty of whom formed the body guard of the Sultan; their officers that filled important public offices”),[1][2] from Persian خاصکی (xâssagi, “the favorite of the ruler”), from Arabic خَاصّ (ḵāṣṣ, “special, particular, specific”), active participle of خَصَّ (ḵaṣṣa, “to favor, to endow, to be characteristic of, to concern”).[3]

• IPA^(key): /ha.seˈci/
• Hyphenation: ha‧se‧ki

haseki (definite accusative hasekiyi, plural hasekiler)

1. A title in the Ottoman Empire given to those who became a senior in a particular office.
2. Lower rank officers in the Bostanji regiment.
3. A favorite chosen from among the female slaves to the Ottoman palace.

• “haseki”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Çağbayır, Yaşar (2007) “hasekî”, in Ötüken Türkçe Sözlük (in Turkish), Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, page 1886