askari

noun

as·​ka·​ri

ˈaskərē;

əˈskärē,

aˈs-

plural askaris or askari

1

: a native soldier especially of eastern Africa in the service of a European power

2

: a native police officer or guard of eastern Africa

Word History

Etymology

Arabic ʽaskarī

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!