condottiere
Americannoun
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condottieri
plural
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a leader of a private band of mercenary soldiers in Italy, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries.
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any mercenary; soldier of fortune.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of condottiere
1785–95; < Italian, equivalent to condott ( o ) (< Latin conductus hired man, past participle of condūcere to conduce; see conduct) + -iere < Latin -ārius -ary
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He's a species of condottiere; we can buy his allegiance with his service: and we must forego the sentimental objection.
From The Quality of Mercy by William Dean Howells
The earliest writers on the new tactics necessitated by villainous saltpetre were Italians trained in condottiere warfare.
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Ernest Weekley
Cosimo dei Medici now allied himself with the great condottiere, Francesco Sforza, and aided him with money to make good his claims upon the Duchy of Milan.
From The Story of Florence by Edmund G. Gardner
They seem to have been led by the men of Caen under a Lombard condottiere called Le Grand Jacques, or as the English poem has it:— "Guaunte Jakys a werryour wyse."
From The Story of Rouen by Sir Theodore Andrea Cook
The bridge over the river at Dessau recalls the hot assaults of the condottiere Ernst von Mansfeld in April 1626, and his repulse by the crafty generalship of Wallenstein.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 2 "Ehud" to "Electroscope" by Various
Xenophon became in essence a mercenary lord, somewhat like the condottieri of Renaissance Italy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The chosen electors went about that serious task with all the noble intent and show of national interest of a group of condottieri.
From Time Magazine Archive
Like the humanist condottieri of 15th century Italy, they built themselves impregnable and magnificent castles.
From Time Magazine Archive
As a result, these condottieri have conducted Italy into slavery and disgrace.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
This man, as I said, having been named by the Syracusans commander of their armies, immediately realized that mercenary forces were useless, since their condottieri were men like our Italian condottieri.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
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