spahi
Americannoun
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spahis
plural
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one of a body of Algerian cavalry in the French service.
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(formerly) a cavalryman in the Turkish army.
noun
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(formerly) an irregular cavalryman in the Turkish armed forces
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a member of a body of native Algerian cavalrymen in the French armed forces: disbanded after Algerian independence
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of spahi
First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French, from Turkish sipahi, from Persian sipāhī; cf. sepoy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Go in," said the commandant, and the spahi opened the door.
From The Turquoise Cup, and, the Desert by Arthur Cosslett Smith
Adieu, our spahi guides, like figures from Lalla Rookh!
From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 11, No. 27, June, 1873 by Various
Weary after a ride of several hours over a very irregular country, and not expecting any chance that night, I enjoined my spahi to keep a good watch, and lay down.
From The International Monthly, Vol. II, No. I December 1, 1850 by Various
I presume that monsieur wishes to see as much of the country as possible," he said; "and I shall be enchanted to place at monsieur's disposal horses, and my servant and a spahi as guides.
From In the Yule-Log Glow, Book I Christmas Tales from 'Round the World by Harrison S. (Harrison Smith) Morris
As soon as Mole was mounted, the chief spahi gave the word, and the imposing cavalcade set off at a quick trot.
From Jack Harkaway's Boy Tinker Among The Turks Book Number Fifteen in the Jack Harkaway Series by Bracebridge Hemyng
Massu moved in a rock-hard force of 20,000 green- and red-bereted paratroopers, legionnaires and spahis to take over the city of Algiers and its teeming Casbah.
From Time Magazine Archive
He stripped off his drab prison clothes, threw them into the water, donned a fresh uniform with the jaunty red cap of the Moroccan spahis.
From Time Magazine Archive
An officer of spahis rode in and, stopping his horse before the arched door of the commandant, stood motionless.
From The Turquoise Cup, and, the Desert by Arthur Cosslett Smith
From the old castle the cavalry were to be seen perfectly, in number about two thousand, composed in part of spahis, but mainly of the Egyptian guard of the Sultan.
From Pan Michael An Historical Novel of Poland, the Ukraine, and Turkey. by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Only when the battle was over did it appear what great destruction its missiles had wrought falling in places covered most thickly with the tents of janissaries and spahis.
From Pan Michael An Historical Novel of Poland, the Ukraine, and Turkey. by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
