Samurai
/ˈsæm.ə.raɪ/noun
A member of the Japanese military nobility and warrior class.
Did you know?The word samurai comes from a verb meaning “to serve,” and the elite warrior identity grew out of a servant-attendant role before becoming a symbol of honor and martial power.
Etymological Timeline
Old Japanese
Jpn
saburau
“to wait upon; to serve in attendance”
Heian period
Jpn
saburai
“one who serves; attendant”
Late Old Japanese / Early Middle Japanese
Jpn
samurai
“attendant, especially a person serving a noble or powerful household”
16th-17th Century
Eng
samouraï / samurai
“a Japanese warrior of the military class”
Modern English
Eng
samurai
“a member of the Japanese warrior class”