Gurkha

See also: gurkha

English

Alternative forms

• Gorkha, Ghurkha, Ghoorka, Goorkha

Etymology

From Nepali गोर्खा (gorkhā, “inhabitant of Gorkha”), from गोरखा (gorakhā)/गोर्खा (gorkhā, “Gorkha District”), from Sanskrit गोरक्ष (gorakṣa, “cowherd”) an epithet of the patron deity Gorakhnath, from गो (go, “cow”) +‎ रक्ष् (rakṣ, “protect”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɜː(r)kə

Noun

Gurkha (plural Gurkhas)

1. A member of the dominant ethnic group in Nepal, with a Himalayan diaspora
2. A member of this people recruited to serve in their own elite units in the British and Indian army

Usage notes

• While Gurkha has been the popular spelling worldwide, inside Nepal, the correct spelling is considered to be Gorkha.

Translations

member of ethnic group

• Burmese: ဂေါ်ရခါး (my) (gaura.hka:)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā), 廓爾喀／廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā), 啹喀

• Dutch: Gurkha m
• Finnish: gurkha (fi)
• Hindi: गोरखा (hi) m (gorkhā)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Nepali: गोर्खा (ne) (gorkhā), गोर्खाली (gorkhālī), गोरखाली (ne) (gorakhālī)
• Oriya: ଗୋରଖା (or) (gorakhā)
• Sanskrit: गोरक्ष (sa) m (gorakṣa)
• Spanish: gurja m or f

military

• Burmese: ဂေါ်ရခါး (my) (gaura.hka:)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā), 廓爾喀／廓尔喀 (zh) (Kuò'ěrkā), 啹喀

• Dutch: Gurkha m
• Finnish: gurkha (fi), gurkha-sotilas
• Hindi: गोरखा (hi) m (gorkhā)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Nepali: गोर्खा (ne) (gorkhā), गोर्खाली (gorkhālī), गोरखाली (ne) (gorakhālī)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: gurkha (no) m

• Oriya: ଗୋରଖା (or) (gorakhā)
• Spanish: gurja m or f

Adjective

Gurkha (comparative more Gurkha, superlative most Gurkha)

1. referring or belonging to the Gurkha people

   The Gurkha royal house of Shah united all Nepal under its rule

2. referring or belonging to Gurkha soldiers

   In 2009, Gurkha veterans were awarded better terms in the UK

See also

• Gurkha on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

• “Gurkha”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “Gurkha”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “Gurkha” in TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.