C19: from Turkish, from Arabic wilāyat, from walīy governor
vilayet in American English
(ˌvilɑːˈjet)
noun
a province or main administrative division of Turkey
Also: eyalet
Word origin
[1865–70; ‹ Turk ‹ Ar wilāyah]This word is first recorded in the period 1865–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: figure skating, racism, steamroller, tick-tack-toe, valence