Etymology

fedai

F4E1D2A1I1

Today it means: An Ismaili Muslim assassin; also (later), a killer in the same tradition. Full definition →

First used 18th c.Iranian Persian فدائی ← Arabic فِدَائِيّ
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The story

  1. Arabic · derived fromفِدَائِيّ
  2. Iranian Persian · borrowed fromفدائی“someone who risks their life for a cause”
  3. English todayfedai

From Iranian Persian فدائی (fedâ'i, “someone who risks their life for a cause”), and its source, Arabic فِدَائِيّ (fidāʔiyy). Doublet of fedayee.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 18th c. An Ismaili Muslim assassin; also (later), a killer in the same tradition.
  • from 20th c. A member of the fedayeen; a dedicated guerrilla fighter.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.