seraglio

seraglio
seraglio (n.) "harem," also the name of a former palace of the sultan in Istanbul, 1580s, from It. seraglio, alteration of Turk. saray "palace, court," from Pers. sara'i "palace, inn," from Iranian base *thraya- "to protect" (Cf. Avestan thrayeinti "they protect"). The Italian word probably reflects folk etymology influence of serraglio "enclosure, cage," from M.L. serraculum "bung, stopper" (see SERRIED (Cf. serried)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Seraglio — Se*ragl io, n. [It. serraglio, originally, an inclosure of palisades, afterwards also, a palace, seraglio (by confusion with Per. ser[=a][ i]a a palace, an entirely different word), fr. serrare to shut, fr. LL. serra a bar for fastening doors, L …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • seraglio — [si ral′yō, siräl′yō] n. pl. seraglios [It serraglio, enclosure, padlock, also (infl. by Turk saray, palace: see SERAI), place, seraglio < ML serraculum, a bolt, bar < LL serare, to lock, bar < L sera, a bolt, lock] 1. the part of a… …   English World dictionary

  • Seraglio — Seraglio, 1) so v.w. Bosna 2); 2) italienisch für Serai …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • seraglio — ► NOUN (pl. seraglios) 1) the women s apartments in a Muslim house or palace. 2) a harem. ORIGIN Italian serraglio, from a Persian word meaning palace …   English terms dictionary

  • Seraglio — See also, Sarayburnu (also known as Seraglio Point). The Gate of a seraglio …   Wikipedia

  • seraglio — noun a) The palace of the Grand Seignior in Constantinople. At these words he started up, and beheld not his Sophia no, nor a Circassian maid richly and elegantly attired for the grand Signiors seraglio. b) The sequestered living quarters used by …   Wiktionary

  • seraglio —    (seh RAHL yoh) [Italian: enclosure] The section of a traditional Muslim house where women live in seclusion; a harem.    He had marked the founding father’s satirical, if now prescient, reference to critics’ warnings that Americans studying… …   Dictionary of foreign words and phrases

  • seraglio — noun (plural glios) Etymology: Italian serraglio, modification of Turkish saray palace Date: 1581 1. harem 1a 2. a palace of a sultan …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • seraglio — /si ral yoh, rahl /, n., pl. seraglios. 1. the part of a Muslim house or palace in which the wives and concubines are secluded; harem. 2. a Turkish palace, esp. of the sultan. Also called serail /seuh ruy , ruyl , rayl /. [1575 85; < It serraglio …   Universalium

  • SERAGLIO —    in its restricted sense applied in the East to a harem or women s quarters in a royal household; the former residence of the sultan of Turkey, occupies a beautiful site on the E. side of Constantinople, on a projecting piece of land between… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

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