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spahi

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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From French spahi, from Ottoman Turkish سپاهی (sipahi), from Classical Persian سِپَاهِی (sipāhī, horseman, soldier) (> sepoy), from سِپَاه (sipāh, army). Doublet of sepoy and sipahi.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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spahi (plural spahis)

  1. (history) An Ottoman (Turkish empire) cavalryman, especially as recruited under a land-based system.
    • 2001, Orhan Pamuk, My Name Is Red, tr. Erdağ M Göknar
      I hear that the great Sadiki Bey illustrated a copy of Strange Creatures, commissioned by an Uzbek spahi cavalryman, for only forty gold pieces.
  2. (history) A soldier in a mainly Arab-recruited cavalry (originally horse, later light armored) regiment in French colonial service in (former/ in name still) Ottoman North African provinces.
    • 1913 June–December, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Dancing Girl of Sidi Aissa”, in The Return of Tarzan, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, [], published March 1915, →OCLC, page 86:
      TARZAN’S first mission did not bid fair to be either exciting or vastly important. There was a certain lieutenant of spahis whom the government had reason to suspect of improper relations with a great European power.
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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Anagrams

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Dutch

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Etymology

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From French spahi, from Ottoman Turkish سپاهی (sipahi), from Persian سپاهی (sepâhi, horseman, soldier) (> English sepoy), from سپاه (sepâh, army).

Pronunciation

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  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: spa‧hi

Noun

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spahi m (plural spahi's, diminutive spahietje n)

  1. a spahi
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French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Turkish sipahi, from Persian سپاهی (sepâhi, horseman, soldier), from سپاه (sepâh, army).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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spahi m (plural spahis)

  1. spahi
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Descendants

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  • Dutch: spahi
  • English: spahi
  • Russian: спаги́ (spagí), спаг (spag)

Further reading

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