jawan

J8A1W4A1N1
/d͡ʒəˈwɑːn/

noun

An infantryman; a soldier.

OriginHindi जवान (javān) ← Classical Persian جَوَان (jawān) ← Middle Persian [script needed] (yw'n /⁠ǰuwān⁠/) →
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Meanings

jawan1

nounjawan (plural jawans)

plural jawans

  1. IndiaAn infantryman; a soldier.

    He obviously expected one of the senior army officials to walk over and talk to the jawan.

    1999, R. D. Pradhan, Debacle to Revival: Y.B. Chavan as Defence Minister, 1962-65, page 44
    2 more examples

    In any event we soon had the Army jawan sent by the Major with us in the boat and headed for shore.

    1992, Satyindra Singh, Blueprint to Bluewater: The Indian Navy, 1951-65, page 402

    They could now see a whole lot of army jawans in gum boots looking for something in the mud.

    2011, Deepika Phukan, The Story of Felanee, translation of original by Arupa Patangia Kalita

jawan2

noun
  1. pluralplural of jinn

Jawan3

proper noun
  1. A male given name originating as a coinage, of African-American usage; variant forms Juwan, Juwann.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
old billsoldier

Origin

jawan · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ey-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂óyu
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂yéwHō
  4. Proto-Indo-Iranian*HyúHā
  5. Proto-Iranian*HyúHā
  6. Middle Persian[script needed] (yw'n /⁠ǰuwān⁠/)
  7. Classical Persianجَوَان (jawān)
  8. Hindiजवान (javān)
  9. Englishjawan

Borrowed from Hindustani جوان (jvān) / जवान (javān), from Classical Persian جوان (jawān, “young, a youth”).

More words from Hindustani, Classical Persian

Full word history & related roots →

jawan · noun

  1. Arabicجَوَان
  2. Englishjawan

From Arabic جَوَان (jawān), plural of جِنّ (jinn).

More words from Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch infanterist, infanteriste
  • infanteristinfantryman, soldier
  • infanteristeinfantryman, soldier
  • voetknechtinfantryman, soldier
  • voetmaninfantryman, soldier
  • zandhaasinfantryman, soldier
Finnish sotapoika, sotilas
  • sotapoikainfantryman, soldier
  • sotilasinfantryman, soldier
German Infanterist, Soldat
  • Infanteristinfantryman, soldier
  • Soldatinfantryman, soldier
Hindi जवान
  • जवान (javān)infantryman, soldier
Russian солда́т
  • солда́т (soldát)infantryman, soldier

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Anjaw
Cite this entry
APA

jawan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jawan

MLA

“jawan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jawan. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jawan,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jawan.

Source: jawan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.