Forms: 7 chaima-, chayma-, cayma-, 7–9 caima-, 7– kaima-; 7 -con, 7–8 -can, 7–9 -kan, -cham, -cam, 8– -kam. [Turkish qāimaqām, ad. Arab. qā’im maqām one standing in the place (of another), f. qā’im standing + maqām place, station.]
In the Turkish Empire: A lieutenant, deputy, substitute; a lieutenant-colonel; a deputy-governor; spec. the deputy of the Grand Vizier, and governor of Constantinople.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., III. xxi. (1705), 127. He desir’d him to leave a charge with the Caimacham, his deputy.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, II. 180. All Civil and Criminal Causes are tryed by the Vizier, or his Deputy, the Chaimacham, assisted by other Lawyers.
1718. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess Bristol, 10 April. I was forced to send three times to the caimaikan (the governor of the town).
1772. Hartford Merc., Suppl. 18 Sept., 1/1. The victory of Ali-Bey over the Kiaja of the new Caimacan of Egypt.
1820. T. S. Hughes, Trav. Sicily, I. vi. 188. His caimacam or vice-roy.
1876. Gladstone, Bulg. Horrors, 61. The Turks … their Kaimakams and their Pashas, one and all, bag and baggage.
Hence ǁ Kaimakamlik, the jurisdiction of a kaimakam.
