‖ mehtar
(ˈmeɪtə(r))
Also 7 meheter, mehater, 9 mater, matre, mehter.
[a. Urdū mehtar, a. Pers. mihtar head man, prince, occurring in many titles like mihtar-i-asp, master of the horse, m.-i-raχt, master of the household; comparative of mih great.]
1. a. In Persia: Originally, the title of certain great officers of the royal household. Now, a groom, a stable-boy.
| 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 272 Near the Pages stood the Meheter, or Groom of the Chamber, who hath the ouer-sight of them. Ibid. 286 The King..would have kill'd him, if a Mehater, or Gentleman belonging to his Chamber had not prevented him. 1828 Morier Hajji Baba in Eng. I. 60 Besides many mehters or stable-boys. |
b. In Bengal: A house sweeper and scavenger; the lowest of the menial house-servants.
| 1810 Williamson E. India Vade M. I. 276 The Mater, or sweeper, is considered the lowest menial in every family. 1811 Mrs. Sherwood Henry & Bearer 26, I gave all my last sweetmeats to the matre's boy. 1886 Yule & Burnell Anglo-Ind. Gloss. s.v. Bungy, In the Bengal Pry. he is generally called mehtar. |
2. A title borne by the ruler of Chitral. Hence ˈmehtarship, the office of mehtar.
| 1892 Pall Mall G. 21 Dec. 4/3 Nizam-ul-Mulk, the new Mehtar of Chitral. 1895 Westm. Gaz. 22 Mar. 7/1 The Amir ul Mulk,..who recently usurped the Mehtarship by killing his brother. |