rayah

enUK

ra·yah

also ra·ya R0061575 (rä′yə, rī′ə)n. pl. ra·yahs or rayah also ra·yas or raya A subject of the Ottoman Empire. Used especially of non-Muslims.
[Colloquial Ottoman Turkish rāyā, variant of Ottoman Turkish re'āyā (Modern Turkish reaya), from Arabic ra'āyā, pl. of ra'īya, herd, flock, subject, rayah, from ra'ā, to pasture, feed; see rʕy in Semitic roots.]

rayah

(ˈrɑːjə; ˈraɪə) n1. (Islam) (formerly) a non-Muslim subject of the Ottoman Empire. Also (less common): raia 2. (Historical Terms) (formerly) a non-Muslim subject of the Ottoman Empire. Also (less common): raia [C19: from Turkish raiyye, from Arabic ra'iyah herd, flock]