hamal

or ham·mal

[ huh-mahl, -mawl ]

noun
  1. (in some Muslim countries) a porter.

Origin of hamal

1
1960–65; <Arabic hammāl porter, carrier, akin to hamala to carry

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hamal in a sentence

  • Soldiers and hamals passed, upright and armed, bending beneath the weight of incredible loads.

    The Near East | Robert Hichens
  • Indeed, except among the Turkish hamals it is doubtful whether such powerful figures could be found elsewhere.

    By Sheer Pluck | G. A. Henty
  • At one time, by far the larger number of hamals employed in the city were Armenians.

    Constantinople painted by Warwick Goble | Alexander Van Millingen
  • The various companies of hamals are as jealous of their claims upon a particular locality as are the dogs of the quarter.

    Constantinople painted by Warwick Goble | Alexander Van Millingen
  • The hamals are not natives of the city, but come from various districts of Asia Minor.

    Constantinople painted by Warwick Goble | Alexander Van Millingen

British Dictionary definitions for hamal

hamal

hammal or hamaul

/ (həˈmɑːl) /


noun
  1. (in Middle Eastern countries) a porter, bearer, or servant

Origin of hamal

1
from Arabic hamala to carry

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012