Nabob

A nabob /ˈneɪbɒb/ is an Anglo-Indian term for a conspicuously wealthy man who made his fortune in the Orient, especially in the Indian subcontinent. It also refers to an East India Company servant who had become wealthy through corrupt trade and other practices.

Nabob literally means "deputy governor" or "viceroy" in the Mughal Empire rule of India. This title was later adopted by British vassals in India, such as Bengal, Oudh, and Arcot.

Etymology

The word is either a borrowing directly from Hindustani nawāb/navāb/nabāb (via Persian from Arabic nuwwāb), encountered during British colonial rule in India, or indirectly via Portuguese nababo. The Portuguese nababo is a possibility because the Portuguese developed a presence in India before the British.

The word entered colloquial usage in England from 1612. Native Europeans used "nabob" to refer to those who returned from India after having made a fortune there.

History

European usage

The European perception of a "nabob" was that of a person who having become wealthy in a foreign country, often India or the Indian subcontinent, and then returned to Europe with considerable power and influence. In England, the name was applied to men who made fortunes working for the East India Company and, on their return home, used the wealth to purchase seats in Parliament.

Nabob (disambiguation)

A nabob, an English form of "nawab", is a merchant-leader of high social status and wealth.

Nabob may also refer to:

Nabob (coffee)

Nabob is a brand of coffee produced by Kraft Foods and sold in Canada. The Nabob Coffee Company originated in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1896, was the food manufacturing arm of Kelly Douglas Limited, house brand for Super-Valu Stores, and was purchased by Jacobs Suchard in 1976, and subsequently by Kraft Foods in 1994. The name refers to the Anglo-Indian word Nabob, a term for a conspicuously wealthy man who made his fortune in the Orient during the British colonial era. Nabob produces several different blends of coffee which are available in a typical Canadian supermarket. Beginning in 2006, Nabob has been the primary coffee brand for the Tassimo coffee maker in Canada.

In the 1930s Nabob sponsored Orpheum elegant afternoon teas, an organization in the Vancouver community. In 1978 Nabob branched into Central and Eastern Canada and by 1986 Nabob had made its way all across Canada, Quebec being the last province to receive the brand. In 2006 Tassimo launched its brewing system with Nabob T Discs that combines making coffee with science and technology using Tassimo’s barcode concept. Nabob offers twelve different types of Tassimo discs which range from their light-bodied breakfast blend to their authentic espresso. Drinks such as Nabob’s authentic lattes and cappuccinos involve an extra T Disc of condensed milk product on top of Nabob’s own disc. Furthermore, Nabob’s skinny latte comes with an extra T Disc of condensed milk product that is 56% less calories than the traditional Nabob latte.