janissary

English

/ˈdʒanɪzəɹi/, /ˈdʒænəˌzeɹi/

noun
Definitions
  • (historical) An infantry soldier, often of Christian descent and forcibly converted to Islam, in a former elite Turkish (Ottoman) guard (disbanded in 1826); by extension, any Turkish soldier, particularly one escorting a traveller.
  • (figuratively) An elite, highly loyal supporter.

Etymology

Derived from Turkish yeniçeri.

Origin

Turkish

yeniçeri

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms