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

This Mehrab Khan was jemadar of the Levy Sowars, and wore a sort of khaki uniform and a blue turban and kulla.

From The Sirdar's Oath A Tale of the North-West Frontier by Mitford, Bertram

"Whom have you got here, jemadar?" one of them asked, in Bengalee.

From On the Irrawaddy A Story of the First Burmese War by Overend, William Heysham

The Thugs of each district were led by one whom they called their jemadar, to whom they gave implicit obedience.

From Modern Saints and Seers by Marrett, Evan

The jemadar now left us, with a present for himself and the hire of his men, and we were all alone.

From What Led to the Discovery of the Source of the Nile by Speke, John Hanning

Then summoning a smart young jemadar with whom he had talked a good deal during the journey, he asked him to read the chit.

From The Red Year A Story of the Indian Mutiny by Tracy, Louis