condottiere

[ kawn-duh-tyair-ey, -tyair-ee; Italian kawn-dawt-tye-re ]
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noun,plural con·dot·tie·ri [kawn-duh-tyair-ee; Italian kawn-dawt-tye-ree]. /ˌkɔn dəˈtyɛər i; Italian ˌkɔn dɔtˈtyɛ ri/.
  1. a leader of a private band of mercenary soldiers in Italy, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries.

  2. any mercenary; soldier of fortune.

Origin of condottiere

1
1785–95; <Italian, equivalent to condott(o) (<Latin conductus hired man, past participle of condūcere to conduce; see conduct) + -iere<Latin -ārius-ary

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How to use condottiere in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for condottiere

condottiere

/ (ˌkɒndɒˈtjɛərɪ) /


nounplural -ri (-riː)
  1. a commander or soldier in a professional mercenary company in Europe from the 13th to the 16th centuries

Origin of condottiere

1
C18: from Italian, from condotto leadership, from condurre to lead, from Latin condūcere; see conduct

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