samurai

noun

sam·​u·​rai ˈsa-mə-ˌrī How to pronounce samurai (audio)
ˈsam-yə-
plural samurai
1
: a military retainer of a Japanese daimyo practicing the code of conduct of Bushido
2
: the warrior aristocracy of Japan

Examples of samurai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Projects on the company’s slate include the Apple horror comedy series Widow’s Bay, starring Matthew Rhys, and the A24 samurai film Bushido, among others. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2025 Yasuke, a physically imposing samurai, is pure brute force, wielding an impossibly huge naginata and kanabō that literally take heads and limbs off with one powerful swing. Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2025 Come nightfall, 292 samurai warriors gather, lured by the promise of a grand prize of 100 billion yen. Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025 Onimusha: Way of the Sword Capcom’s ongoing hot streak hopefully continues with its upcoming revival of Onimusha, a classic samurai action-adventure game. Jordan Minor, PCMAG, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for samurai

Word History

Etymology

Japanese

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of samurai was in 1727

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Cite this Entry

“Samurai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samurai. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

samurai

noun
sam·​u·​rai ˈsam-(y)ə-ˌrī How to pronounce samurai (audio)
plural samurai
: a warrior serving a Japanese feudal lord and practicing a code of conduct which valued honor over life

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