samurai

[sam-oo-rahy]

noun

Japanese History.

plural

samurai 

1. a member of the hereditary warrior class in feudal Japan.

2. a retainer of a daimyo.

samurai

/ ˈsæmʊˌraɪ, ˈsæmjʊ- /

noun

1. the Japanese warrior caste that provided the administrative and fighting aristocracy from the 11th to the 19th centuries

2. a member of this aristocracy

Word History and Origins

Origin of samurai¹

1720–30; < Japanese, earlier samurafi to serve, equivalent to sa- prefix + morafi watchfully wait (frequentative of mor- to guard)

Word History and Origins

Origin of samurai¹

C19: from Japanese

Example Sentences

At the time, officers seized six air weapons, a samurai sword, three crossbows and bolts, six knives and a stun gun.

From BBC

Considering the Meiji period was when the samurai became obsolete, the potential for social commentary mixed in with high-stakes combat seems pretty high.

From Los Angeles Times

The recently opened IG Arena stands in the outer citadel of Nagoya Castle in Nagoya, Japan, which was built in the early 1600s, when samurai battles raged in the region.

From Los Angeles Times

A man has been jailed for life after being convicted of murdering a 14-year-old schoolboy with a samurai sword in east London.

From BBC

He’s one of the last samurais battling on behalf of the theatrical experience.

From Los Angeles Times