Etymology

askari

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Today it means: A member of a local African military or police unit, usually one serving in a European colonial force. Full definition →

Swahili askari ← Arabic عَسْكَرِيّ (ʕaskariyy) ← Middle Persian lšklbor.?
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askari · noun1

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂lek-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂lékseti
  3. Proto-Indo-Iranian*Hrákšati
  4. Proto-Iranian*karah
  5. Middle Persianlšklbor.?
  6. Arabicعَسْكَر (ʕaskar)
  7. Arabicـِيّ (-iyy)
  8. Arabicعَسْكَرِيّ (ʕaskariyy)
  9. Swahiliaskari
  10. English todayaskari

From Swahili askari (“soldier”), from Arabic عَسْكَرِيّ (ʕaskariyy). Doublet of lascar.

Askari · proper noun2

  1. Arabic · borrowed fromعَسْكَرِيّ“soldier, policeman”
  2. English todayAskari

Borrowed from Arabic عَسْكَرِيّ (ʕaskariyy, “soldier, policeman”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.