jemadar

American  

[jem-uh-dahr] / ˈdʒɛm əˌdɑr /

noun

1. any of various government officials.

2. the supervisor of a staff of servants.

3. an officer in a sepoy regiment, corresponding in rank to a lieutenant.

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jemadar British  

/ ˈdʒɛməˌdɑː /

noun

1. a native junior officer belonging to a locally raised regiment serving as mercenaries in India, esp with the British Army (until 1947)

2. an officer in the Indian police

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Etymology

Origin of jemadar

1755–65; < Urdu jamadar, variant of jamdar < Persian < Arabic jamʿ aggregation + Persian dār holding, leader of

Example Sentences

A few days before all this, I was standing about in the bazaar, when I met a jemadar.

From Project Gutenberg

But the jemadar laughed at me.

From Project Gutenberg

As soon as I had got to Cawnpore, I went straight to the jemadar's house, to see if he would recognize me; but he did not: for even my voice was hoarser and harsher than of old, through fever and exposure.

From Project Gutenberg

And we had not driven out the accursed strangers, after all, but on the contrary they made themselves stronger than ever, and sent more soldiers, as the jemadar had prophesied, and put down the Company, who used to be their rajah, and sent up a Maharani instead, who is now Empress of India.

From Project Gutenberg

The man told me that he was the “Hathée Jemadar,” i.e., the man in charge of the elephants, and he accompanied us.

From Project Gutenberg