Also 7 Turcomane, Turkeman, 9 Toorkoman, Turkoman; β. 7 Turcman, 7– Turkman. See also TURKMAN. [a. Pers. turkumān ‘one like or resembling a Turk,’ f. TURK + mān-dan to resemble: applied to the Turkish nomads. Hence med.L. Turcomannus, F. tourcouman. In English sometimes made into Turkman, and the second element treated as MAN, as in Chinaman, etc., with pl. Turkmen: cf. Mussulman.]
1. A member of a branch of the Turkish race, consisting of a number of tribes inhabiting the region lying east of the Caspian Sea and about the Sea of Aral, formerly known as Turkestan or Independent Tartary (now annexed by Russia) and parts of Persia and Afghanistan; mainly nomadic and pastoral, and notorious for their predatory habits.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, IX. 337. Camels are gentle and domesticall beasts, and … are vsed in Asia by the Tartars, the Curdians, the Dalemians, and the Turcomans.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrims, II. IX. iv. § 2. 1427. The noble Kingdome of Armenia, called now Turcomania, because of the Turcomanes a people that came out of Scythia … who live as Shepheards in their Tents.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., V. 196. Poore miserable people called Turcomani, liuing in Tents.
1854. Church. Misc. Writ. (1891), I. 288. The traveller in Asia Minor comes from time to time upon encampments of Turkomans.
β. 1683. T. Smith, Acc. Prusa, in Misc. Cur. (1708), III. 73. The Turkmans, (for so they are peculiarly called, as if they were the true Descendents of the Old Turks or Scythians,) … have no fixt Residence any where, but Travel with their Families and Cattle from Place to Place, carrying their Wives and Children upon Camels.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Coronat. Solyman, 123. A great number of Turkmans or Shepherds. Ibid., 124. These People our Modern Authors call Turcomans, which are properly Turks.
1823. Byron, Island, II. xix. Sublime tobacco! which from east to west Cheers the tar’s labour or the Turkman’s rest.
1897. Ramsay, Every Day Life Turkey, iii. 96. These people are Turkmans and their customs are different from those of other Moslems. Ibid. (1906), in Contemp. Rev., July, 11. The Byzantine historians, who distinguish these Turkmen or Nomads … from the Turks.
b. The Turkish language of this people.
1798. Brit. Critic, XI. 37. The Turkish language,… that corrupt jargon; a strange harsh mixture of the vernacular Turcoman, Arabic, and Persian.
2. A Turcoman horse: see quot. 1831.
1831. Youatt, Horse, ii. 17. The Toorkoman horse. Turkistan … has been celebrated from very early times, for producing a pure and valuable breed of horses. They are called Toorkomans. They are said to be preferable even to the pure Persians, for service.
1884. O’Donovan, Merv, xxiv. 270. They are generally … a mixture of Arab and Turcoman blood, but thoroughbred Turcomans are also … for sale.
1905. Statesman (Calcutta) 23 Aug., 2/3. For Sale—Pair of Handsome Red spotted Cream Turcomans (ponies).
3. A kind of textile material; cf. Turcoman carpet in 4.
1885. E. W. Lightner, in Harper’s Mag., March, 531/2. An autograph portière with alternate stripes of ‘crazy patchwork’ embroidered on crimson turcoman.
4. attrib. or as adj. Of or pertaining to this people, their language, or the region they inhabit. Turcoman carpet or rug, a soft, rich-coloured carpet made by the Turcomans.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 44. Some also attribute the Turkes or Turkeman Nation to this name and Authour.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 44. A score of Turcoman Horsemen, armed with Muskets and Lances.
1798. Brit. Critic, XI. 34. The Turcoman nymphs there spoken of, are not, by any means, the damsels of the country we now denominate Turkey.
1842. J. B. Fraser, Mesopot. & Assyria, xv. 366. Of hares there are two kinds; the Turkoman variety, which haunts the plains, and that of the desert, with long hair and ears.
1859. Blackw. Mag., Oct., 428/1. The Arab and Turcoman women go unveiled.
1901. Skrine, Sir W. W. Hunter, xxi. 450. The feats of Alexander are still told with bated breath in the Turkoman nomad’s tent.
1911. B. Holland, Life Dk. Devonshire, I. xiv. 321. Some new advance across the Turcoman steppes.
