Proto-Turkic: *böke
Meaning: a big snake
Russian meaning: большая змея
Karakhanid: böke (MK)
Comments: Лексика 180, EDT 324. Clauson doubts MK's derivation of böke 'warrior' from 'big snake' (MK quotes a folk-tale about the snake with seven heads called böke, and says that the warriors are called by it); but external evidence rather supports Kashgari's point of view. If this is the case, MMong. bökö 'warrior, wrestler' (whence Evk. buku etc., see Doerfer MT 235) must be a Turkic loanword (see EDT ibid.).
