The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bedouin \Bed"ou*in\, n. [F. b['e]douin, OF. b['e]duin, fr. Ar.
   bedaw[imac] rural, living in the desert, fr. badw desert, fr.
   bad[=a] to live in the desert, to lead a nomadic life.]
   One of the nomadic Arabs who live in tents, and are scattered
   over Arabia, Syria, and northern Africa, esp. in the deserts.
   -- Bed"ou*in*ism, n.
   [1913 Webster]