Askari
/əˈskɑːri/noun
A soldier, especially an African soldier serving in a colonial or foreign military force.
Did you know?European colonial armies often recruited African askaris, including German forces in East Africa, where they formed a major part of the Schutztruppe.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Persian
Middle Persian
laškar
“Army or military force”
Early Islamic period
Arabic
ʿaskar
“Army or military camp, borrowed from Persian”
Medieval period
Arabic
ʿaskarī
“Military or soldierly”
18th–19th Century
Swahili
askari
“Soldier, especially a military guard”
19th Century
English
askari
“An African soldier serving in a colonial army”
Modern English
English
askari
“A soldier, particularly in historical or colonial contexts”