Forms: 6 cahaia, 7 cayha, cahay, caya, kia(y(a, 8 kehaja, k(i)aya, kiyaya, chiaia, kaia, caia, 8–9 kiaja, 9 kiayah, kehaya. [Turk. kiḥayā, kekhyā, etc., corrupt forms of Pers. (and Turk.) katkhudā (cf. kad house + khudā master), viceroy, vicar, deputy, etc.] A Turkish viceroy, deputy, agent, etc.; a local governor; a village chief.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. ii. 192. A Cahaia of the Andoluzes … and another principall Moore.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrims, I. III. xi. § 3. 256. The seuenth day, I was sent for to the Cayhas garden.
1688. Lond. Gaz., No. 2308/2. Rageb the Caimacan, his Kiaia or Lieutenant. Ibid. (1702), No. 3875/2. The last having served him as his Kehaja.
1717. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess Mar, 18 April. The Greek lady with me earnestly solicited me to visit the kiyaya’s lady, saying, he was the second officer in the empire.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1742), II. 450. The money demanded was … twenty-five purses for the vizier, and five for the kaia and officers.
1819. T. Hope, Anastasius (1827), III. v. 122. In the capacity of the Pasha’s kehaya, he enjoyed both the direction of his councils and the command of his armies.
1895. Daily News, 21 March, 5/6. They had a Kehaya who led them…. A Kebaya is a leader or head man.
