na·bob / ˈnābäb/ • n. hist. a Muslim official or governor under the Mogul empire. ∎  a person of conspicuous wealth or high status. ∎ chiefly hist. a person who returned from India to Europe with a fortune.ORIGIN: from Portuguese nababo or Spanish nabab, from Urdu; see also nawab.

nabob Muslim official acting as deputy governor in the Mogul empire XVII; rich person, spec. one who has returned from India XVIII. — Pg. nababo — Urdu nawāb (whence nawab XVIII), prob. — Arab. nawwāb, intensive form of nā'ib deputy (confused with nuwwāb, Arab. pl.).

nabob a Muslim official or governor under the Mogul empire; especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, a person who returned from India to Europe with a fortune.