noun
also ka·ra·tchai |karə|chī ; or ka·ra·cha·yevt ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈchäyəft
( plural karachai or karachais )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Karachai, Karatchai from Karachai, region on the northern slope of the western Caucasus mountains, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; Karachayevt from Russian Karachayevtsi (plural) Karachai people, from Karachai
1. : a Turkic-speaking people of the Caucasus
2. : a member of the Karachai people
3. : the Turkic language of the Karachai people