samurai

(samə rī′)

noun pl. samurai

  1. in feudal Japan, a member of a military class, consisting of the retainers of the daimyos: a samurai wore two swords and lived by the code of Bushido
  2. later, used in English to designate a Japanese army officer or member of the military caste

Origin: Jpn, var. of saburai, nominal form of sabura(h)u, to be in attendance, to serve

See samurai in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. samurai samurai or sam·u·rais
  1. The Japanese feudal military aristocracy.
  2. A professional warrior belonging to this class.

Origin:

Origin: Japanese, warrior

Origin: , from Old Japanese samurafi

Origin: : sa-, pref. of unknown meaning

Origin: + morafi, to watch

Origin: , frequentative of mor-, to guard

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