Sardar
/sɑːrˈdɑːr/noun
A title meaning a chief, leader, or military commander, especially in South and Central Asia.
Did you know?Sardar became especially associated with Sikh chiefs and military leaders, while also serving as a title for commanders and nobles across Persianate South and Central Asia.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeh₁-
“To put, place, or establish—the ancient root behind the “holder” element.”
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*sáras and *dʰāra-
“Roots associated with the head or top, and with holding or supporting.”
Old Persian
Old Persian
sardāra-
“A commander or leader, literally understood as a holder of the headship.”
Middle Persian
Middle Persian
sardār
“A chief, commander, or person of authority.”
Modern Persian
Persian
سردار (sardār)
“A commander, chief, or high-ranking military leader.”
18th–19th Century
English
sardar
“An English loanword used for a chief or commander in South Asian and Persianate contexts.”