giaour

American  

[jou-^uhr, jou-er] / ˈdʒaʊ ər, ˈdʒaʊ ər /

noun

Turkish.

1. an unbeliever; a non-Muslim, especially a Christian.

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giaour British  

/ ˈdʒaʊə /

noun

1. a derogatory term for a non-Muslim, esp a Christian, used esp by the Turks

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Etymology

Origin of giaour

1555–65; earlier gower, gour < Turkish gâvur < Persian gaur, variant of gabr Zoroastrian, non-Muslim; spelling giaour < French, with gi- representing Turk palatalized g, later taken as spelling for j

Example Sentences

In the Combat version, the giaour and the pasha do battle astride black Arabian horses, brandishing Turkish weapons that Delacroix had sketched from originals belonging to a French collector.

From Time Magazine Archive

The giaour then conducted them to a hall of great extent, covered with a lofty dome, round which appeared fifty portals of bronze, secured with as many fastenings of iron.

From The World's Greatest Books — Volume 01 — Fiction by Hammerton, John Alexander, Sir

O glorious giaour, rosebud of thy nation!" whispered he, "fleet water-spider of the ocean, ask not so senseless a thing from the Grand Signior!

From The Lion of Janina The Last Days of the Janissaries by Jókai, Mór

And as in those days, which were long before the introduction of Mr. Cook's "personally conducted tours," tourists were few, the presence of a "giaour" in the Mohammedan quarter was an extraordinary event.

From Celebrated Women Travellers of the Nineteenth Century by Adams, W. H. Davenport

And now something happened which had hitherto been deemed incredible; the Sultan sued for peace, a true believer and a sovereign, from an unbelieving giaour.

From Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 1 A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History by Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis)