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

See Examples For:

giaour

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

A strict analogy to giaour is found in the Arabic kaffir, or unbeliever, which is so commonly in use as to have become the proper name of peoples and countries.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 8 "Germany" to "Gibson, William" by Various

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)

Vathek and Nouronihar, frozen with terror at a sight so baleful, demanded of the giaour what these appearances might mean, and why these ambulating spectres never withdrew their hands from their hearts.

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

"The audacious giaour who dared to impersonate Moley Pasha?" asked Ibrahim.

From Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks Book Number Fifteen in the Jack Harkaway Series by Hemyng, Bracebridge