Ninja
/ˈnɪn.dʒə/noun
A covert agent or assassin, especially in feudal Japan.
Did you know?The modern Japanese word 忍者 (ninja) is read with Chinese-derived characters meaning roughly “one who endures/stealths” and became widely popular in the 20th century, long after the historical figures it names.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
忍
“to endure; to bear; to restrain oneself”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
者
“one who does an action; person”
Medieval Japanese
Japanese
忍者
“a person who practices stealth or concealment”
20th Century
Japanese
にんじゃ / ninja
“standard modern reading of 忍者, popularized in mass culture”
Modern English
English
ninja
“a covert agent or assassin, especially associated with historical Japan”