Also 7 beggoon, begun, 9 beegum, begaum. [Urdū (Pers.) begam, ad. Eastern Turkish bigím princess, fem. of big, bik prince (in Osmanli BEG, BEY).] A queen, princess, or lady of high rank in Hindustan.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 99. Queen, Begun.
1786. Burke, Art. W. Hastings, Wks. XI. 381. Prayer was made not to dishonour the Begum (a princess of great rank, whose husband had been killed in the battle).
1841. Macaulay, W. Hastings, Ess., III. 431. Jewels torn from Indian Begums.
